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SUPERVISOR’S MANUAL

© 2014 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. 1449

How to Contact ACT Plan® Customer ServicesACT makes the following toll-free number available to testsupervisors. This number is NOT to be given to students or parents.

877.789.2925

TDD for hearing impaired (must call from a TDD): 319.337.1524

ACT Office Hours: 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. central time, Monday–Friday

Visit ACT’s website at www.act.org.

Reporting Test Administration Irregularities and Security Issues

Test center staff are expected to report test administration irregularities and security issues by completing the IrregularityReport on page 73. In exceptional situations, test center staffmay wish to file an anonymous report about concerns that theACT Plan tests may have been compromised. If you wish to report such concerns anonymously, you may do so atwww.act.ethicspoint.com.

ACT Plan Policies and Procedures . . . . . . 1Standardized Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Test Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Investigations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Equal Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Fair Testing Practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1ACT’s Data Use Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Preparing for ACT PlanACT Plan Test Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Test Booklets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Other Test Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2ACT PlanTechnical Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . 2ACT Plan Interpretive Guide for Student and School Reports . . . . . . . . 2

Arrangements for Staffing . . . . . . . . . . . 3Selecting and Training Testing Staff . . . . 3Room Supervisor Qualifications . . . . . . 3Room Supervisor Responsibilities. . . . . . 3Proctor Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Suggested Training Session Outline . . . . 4

Scheduling Testing Sessions . . . . . . . . . . 6Activities Before the Test to Be Completed by the Test Supervisor . . . 6

Preparing Testing Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Examples of Seating Arrangements . . . . 8Use of Calculators on the Mathematics Test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Calculators Permitted With Modification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Prohibited Calculators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Options to Consider Before Administration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101-Day or 2-Day Administration . . . . . . 10Choosing a Testing Option . . . . . . . . . . 10Academic Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Pre-ID Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Student Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Optional Sort Codes—Block M . . . . . . . 11Supplemental Local Items—Block V . . . 11Testing Students From Other Schools. . 11Testing Home-Schooled Students . . . . . 12Testing Students Through a Postsecondary Outreach or Other Special Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Makeup Testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Testing Students With Accommodations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Recommended Eligibility Requirementsfor Accommodated Testing . . . . . . . . 13

Testing Arrangements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Testing Over Multiple Days or During Separate Sessions . . . . . . . . . 14

Testing More Than One Examinee at a Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Accommodated Testing Options . . . . . 14Accommodation Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Security of Test Materials . . . . . . . . . . . 15Standardized Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . 15Selecting Test Rooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Accessibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Materials Available From ACT . . . . . . . 16Audio DVD Information Guide . . . . . . 16Use of Audio DVD Version. . . . . . . . . . 16Sign Language Interpreter for SpokenInstructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Sign Language Interpreter for ExactEnglish Signing of Items . . . . . . . . . . 16

Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17Materials Supplied by the TestSupervisor/School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Materials That May Be Supplied by the Examinee(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Ordering Accommodated TestingMaterials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Timing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17ACT Plan Test Administration Policies. . 18Unauthorized Testing Aids . . . . . . . . . . 18Questions/Guessing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Rest Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Leaving the Room During Testing . . . . 18Announcement of Time Remaining . . . 18Electronic Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Reporting Irregularities in TestingAdministration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Student Challenge of Test Items . . . . . . 19Mistiming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19Defective Test Booklet or Answer Folder . 20Voiding Tests or Answer Folders . . . . . . 20Student Who Becomes Ill . . . . . . . . . . . 20Prohibited Behavior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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Contents

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Administering ACT PlanTest Day Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Previously Completed StudentInformation Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Same-Day Completion of StudentInformation Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Checking Calculators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Avoiding Common Errors WhenCompleting Answer Folders . . . . . . . 22

Verbal Instructions for StudentInformation Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Room Supervisor Instructions . . . . . . . 23Option 1: Room Supervisor Reads All Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Option 2: Students Read Instructions with Guidance From Room Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Option 3: Instructions for Pre-IDLabel Users . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Verbal Instructions for the Academic Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36Post-Test Activities to Be Completed bythe Test Supervisor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Checking Answer Folders . . . . . . . . . . . 43Accommodation Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Special Status Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44Voiding Tests or Answer Folders. . . . . . 44Completing Your School Header . . . . . 45Returning Answer Folders for Scoring. . 47Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

Test ResultsTest Results: What They Tell You. . . . . . 51Test Scores . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51Norms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Student Information Sections . . . . . . . . 54

ACT Plan Reports and Data Services. . . 57Reporting Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Optional Reporting Services. . . . . . . . . 58

Discussing ACT Plan Results With Students and Parents . . . . . . . . . . 59Student Score Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Suggestions for Improving Skills. . . . . . 63Coursework Planner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Local Courses to Be Reported on ACT Plan Course/Grade Information . . 65Example Coursework Planner . . . . . . . . 67Procedures Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69ACT Plan Test Supervisor’s Comment Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71ACT Plan Testing Irregularity Report . . 73References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

ACT Plan Policies and Procedures

1

ACT Plan Policies and ProceduresThis guide is designed to provide you, a test supervisor, direction in administering theACT Plan® test, including specific instructions for conducting the timed test and optionalverbal instructions for completion of the non-test portion of ACT Plan. Please studythese instructions before the test day. For the ACT Plan exam to successfully measure examinees’ academic skills, it must beuniformly administered. As the test supervisor, you therefore assume importantprofessional responsibilities. As with all standardized testing, it is critical that theprocedures you employ at your school are identical to those at other schools. If you haveany questions that are not addressed in this manual, please contact ACT Plan CustomerServices (8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m., central time, Monday through Friday, at 877.789.2925).By strictly following ACT Plan policies and procedures you will help ensure a fair andequitable testing environment.

Standardized ProceduresThroughout this manual, there are detailed directions for selecting facilities and staff,protecting test security, and administering tests in a standardized manner. To protect both the examinee and the supervisor from questions of possible conflict ofinterest, the test supervisor should not be a relative or guardian of any examinee. Alltesting personnel, including room supervisors and proctors, are required to read thematerials provided by ACT. Adherence to these standardized procedures is mandatory.

Test SecurityTo ensure the integrity of your examinees’ ACT Plan results, testing personnel mustprotect the security of test materials as described in this manual. ACT Plan materials arecopyrighted by ACT and cannot be resold or redistributed for commercial or other use.The ACT Plan exam must be administered by school or district personnel. Assessmentresponsibilities cannot be subcontracted to another party without ACT’s writtenpermission.

InvestigationsIn cases of suspected or documented irregularities, all testing personnel are obligated tocooperate fully with ACT in subsequent investigations and respond to ACT’s requests forinformation in a timely manner.

Equal TreatmentAll staff are required to administer and supervise ACT Plan in a nondiscriminatorymanner and in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Americans withDisabilities Act.

Fair Testing PracticesACT endorses the Code of Fair Testing Practices in Education and the Code of ProfessionalResponsibilities in Educational Measurement, guides to the conduct of those involved ineducation testing. ACT is committed to ensuring that each of its testing programs upholdsthe guidelines in each Code. A copy of each Code may be obtained free of charge fromACT Customer Services (70), PO Box 1008, Iowa City, IA 52243-1008, 319.337.1429.

ACT’s Data Use PoliciesStudent scores and other information provided on their answer folder sent to ACT maybe used and shared by ACT as described in its data use policies. These policies can bereviewed at www.actstudent.org/datause.html. You may share this information withstudents and parents if they request it.

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ACT Plan Test Materials

Test BookletsACT Plan uses a new test form each year. Be certain that you do not administer testforms remaining from previous years. These forms cannot be scored.Each school purchasing ACT Plan is responsible for the security of test booklets andother materials. These materials must be stored in a locked room or cabinet and accessmust be limited to the test supervisor or school administrator. Test booklets must begiven to the room supervisors personally rather than left in an unattended testing room.All test booklets must be stored securely after test administration and returned tostudents with their score reports.

Other Test MaterialsThe following materials are supplied by ACT when you order the ACT Plan TestMaterial Package:ⓦ Supervisor’s Manual—general information for school administrators and counselorsabout the ACT Plan program and your test administration

ⓦ Why Take ACT Plan?—pre-test information for students and parentsⓦ Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder—one per student testingⓦ Answer folders—one per student testingⓦ Tyvek return envelope(s)—pre-addressed to ACT Plan Scoring Services and apolymailer return envelope with Authorized Return Service (ARS) labels for traceablereturn

ⓦ ACT Plan School Header—two per siteⓦ ACT Plan school poster, a large full-color poster for placing on school bulletin boardsto announce test date and other specifics of administration—one per site

ⓦ Let’s Go to College Poster—one per site

Why Take ACT Plan? and Using Your ACT Plan Results are available in Spanish forparents whose primary language is Spanish. (Download from www.act.org/plan byselecting “Resources for Educators” under the Resources heading.)

ACT Plan Technical ManualThe ACT PlanTechnical Manual , detailing technical specifications and reliability and validitydata for the ACT Plan tests, is available at www.act.org/plan under Resources.

ACT Plan Interpretive Guide for Student and School ReportsAdditional information regarding the ACT Plan program, ACT Plan and the ACT Collegeand Career Readiness System, and career-related information previously found in thismanual can now be found in the Interpretive Guide that accompanies your score reports.

ACT Plan Test Materials

Arrangements for Staffing

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Arrangements for StaffingSelecting and Training Testing Staff

A room supervisor is needed in each testing room to read directions and monitorstudents. If test rooms have more than 25 examinees, additional personnel must beassigned to assist the room supervisor. Be sure that all personnel who will assist with testing are familiar with the contents of this manual.Before the test day, all testing personnel should read all of the instructions very carefully,particularly those enclosed in the shaded boxes. ACT recommends that you conduct abriefing session for all testing staff to discuss the testing guidelines and local options thathave been selected. An outline is provided on pages 4–5.

Room Supervisor QualificationsThe ACT Plan test supervisor should confirm that the room supervisor(s) meet all of thefollowing criteria. Each room supervisor should be: ⓦ Proficient in English. ⓦ Experienced in testing and measurement. ⓦ A staff member of the institution where the test administration will take place. To protect both examinees and the room supervisor from questions of possible conflictof interest, the following conditions should also be met. The room supervisor should: ⓦ Not be a relative or guardian of an examinee in their assigned room. ⓦ Not be a private consultant or individual tutor whose fees are paid by an examinee orexaminee’s family.

Room Supervisor ResponsibilitiesSpecific responsibilities are: ⓦ Read and understand thoroughly the policies, procedures, and instructions in thismanual.

ⓦ Identify and admit examinees.*ⓦ Supervise a test room.ⓦ Direct examinees to seats.*ⓦ Distribute test materials.*ⓦ Read test instructions.ⓦ Time each test, ensuring that examinees are given the prescribed amount of time foreach test.

ⓦ Walk around the testing room during testing to be sure examinees are working on thecorrect test and to observe examinee behavior.*

ⓦ Pay strict attention to monitoring examinees during the entire testing session.*ⓦ Collect and account for all answer folders and test booklets before dismissingexaminees.*

ⓦ Complete documentation of any irregularities.*Proctor(s) may assist with these activities

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Proctor ResponsibilitiesA proctor may be used to assist the room supervisor with an administration to a groupof more than 10 in the same room and must be used if a room has 26 or moreexaminees. Proctors are to be added for each incremental increase of 25 examinees inthe case of testing in a large group setting. The proctor is to assist in the administrationof the tests according to the policies and procedures in this manual. The proctor mustnot be a relative or guardian of any of the examinees in their assigned room. A proctor’s responsibilities are: ⓦ Read and understand this manual. ⓦ Help admit examinees. ⓦ Direct examinees to seats. ⓦ Help distribute test materials. ⓦ Verify the timing of the test with the room supervisor.ⓦ Walk around the room during testing to be sure all examinees are working on thecorrect test and to observe examinee behavior.

ⓦ Report any irregularities to the room supervisor immediately.ⓦ Accompany examinees to the restroom if more than one leaves during the timedportion of the test.

ⓦ Pay strict attention to monitoring examinees during the entire testing session.ⓦ Help collect and account for all answer folders and test booklets.

Suggested Training Session Outline1. Security of Test MaterialsA) Describe how the materials will be distributed to the test rooms, and how room

supervisors are to count them.B) Emphasize that room supervisors are to count test booklets when they receive

them from the test supervisor and again before examinees are dismissed.C) Emphasize that staff members should never leave a test room unattended.

2. Activities Before the TestA) Determine which set of verbal instructions for completing the student information

sections room supervisors are to follow: Option 1 (reading aloud all applicableinstructions), Option 2 (reading aloud only selected instructions), or Option 3(reading aloud selected instructions for Pre-ID label users).

B) Discuss when the Pre-ID labels will be affixed to the answer folders, specialinstructions to be distributed to students, and how the folders are to bedistributed.

C) Discuss when and where students will complete the student information sectionsof the answer folder. This may be done during a school-supervised session,preferably before the test day.

D) Stress the importance of ensuring that all students fill in the ovals, not just theboxes. This is especially important if the name and address blocks if Pre-ID labelsare not used.

E) Discuss the use of sort codes and how these will be delivered to students.F) Determine how and when supplemental local items will be distributed.G) Stress the value of having students complete the High School Course/Grade

Information section, and what resources (such as transcripts or the local coursechart on page 65 of this manual) will be provided to assist students.

H) Explain the purpose of the special status and scoring codes and how/why theywill be completed after testing by the test supervisor.



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I) Discuss procedures for collecting answer folders following the student informationsections to facilitate redistribution at the time tests are administered.

J) Review a sample roster of students and explain how it is to be used in test rooms.A Procedures Checklist is provided on page 69 for your convenience in tracking thevarious administrative activities from pre-test through wrap-up after testing.3. Test DayA) Discuss when and where staff members are to report on the test day.B) Encourage staff members to wear soft-soled shoes. They should avoid crinkly

clothing, noisy jewelry, coins in pockets, or other items that may distract students.C) Make it clear that room supervisors are not to wait for examinees who arrive late.D) Stress that no one may be admitted to the testing room once the timed tests have

begun. Determine how to handle late arrivals.E) Stress that verbal instructions for the tests must be read verbatim.F) Stress that answer folders and test booklets should not be distributed prior to

admitting examinees.G) Stress that accurate timing of each test is critical. Room supervisors must record

the start, five-minute warning and stop times in the manuals. Discuss theconsequences of a mistimed section.

H) Emphasize that staff members must not read (other than this manual), correctpapers, or do anything not related to administering the test. They must not eat,drink, or smoke in the test room. Their attention should be focused on thestudents.

I) Emphasize that conversations among staff must be quiet and kept to a minimum.Even whispered conversations can be distracting to students while testing.

J) Emphasize that calculators should be checked before testing to ensure they meetACT standards. Review permitted and prohibited calculators in this manual.

K) Note that during the test, staff members should walk quietly around the room, beavailable to respond to students’ questions, assist in the case of illness, replacedefective test booklets or answer folders, and check that examinees are workingfrom the correct section of the test booklet and marking their answers on theproper section of their answer folders.

L) Discuss how to handle the short break between Test 2 and Test 3. Review what todo if an examinee does not return after the break. Discuss procedures for leavingduring the test to go to the restroom.

M) Discuss what actions to take if staff members observe prohibited behavior. Reviewplans for dismissing students (e.g., where they are to be sent, how to maintainvigilance in the test room, documenting actions taken).

N) Discuss what actions to take in the case of a group irregularity (e.g., a poweroutage) or an emergency.

O) Discuss potential individual irregularities and actions to take.P) Review the Testing Irregularity Report.

4. After the TestA) Emphasize that room supervisors must verify the count of used and unused test

booklets, then return test materials and reports to the test supervisor.B) Emphasize that room supervisors or the test supervisor should review answer

folders to be sure students have correctly gridded their identifying anddemographic information.

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Scheduling Testing Sessions ACT recommends that all four ACT Plan tests be administered in one session, consistentwith the administration model used in the national norming study. Expect approximately3 1/2 hours of total administration time. The student information sections may becompleted on a day prior to the tests to shorten the test day administration time.Total for student information sections (varies) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60–75 minutesTests: English (50 questions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 minutesMathematics (40 questions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 minutesOptional Break (depending on administration option). . . . . . . . . . . . 5–10 minutesReading (25 questions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 minutesScience (30 questions) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 minutesGeneral Administration (varies) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 minutesTotal for tests, break, and administrative time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 minutes

Activities Before the Test to Be Completed by the Test SupervisorThe test supervisor must provide the continuity and administrative uniformity necessaryto ensure that the students at your school are tested under the same conditions as atother schools and to ensure the security of the examinations. The supervisor’s specificresponsibilities are to:ⓦ Check all materials shipped from ACT and report any discrepancy between thepacking list and contents of the shipment. Make sure you have School Headerscontaining a bar code label with your school identified on it. Call ACT PlanCustomer Services at 877.789.2925 to report any discrepancies in materials.

ⓦ Secure test materials.ⓦ Read and thoroughly understand the policies, procedures, and instructions in thismanual.

ⓦ Select and train qualified staff.ⓦ Select and reserve testing rooms.ⓦ Develop seating arrangements.ⓦ Assemble additional materials to be available in each test room:— pencil sharpener in each test room— supply of No. 2 pencils with erasers for students who do not bring pencils— supply of calculators for the Mathematics Test if you want to provide these forstudents

ⓦ Count materials for each room, being sure to record the number of test booksassigned to each room.

ⓦ Prepare testing rooms.ⓦ Provide roster of students assigned to each test room and instructions for marking theroster (optional).

Scheduling Testing Sessions

7


Preparing Testing Rooms Testing rooms should offer adequate writing surfaces, uncrowded seating, good lighting,comfortable temperatures, a quiet atmosphere, and freedom from distraction.Writing surfaces should be large enough to accommodate the test booklet and answerfolder side by side. Students should not be distracted by inadequate writing surfaces.Lap boards must not be used. Where possible, plan to seat students in a block so that all rows (side to side) andcolumns (front to back) have the same number of students. This arrangement simplifiesthe distribution, collection, and verification of test materials. All students must face thesame direction. Be sure the aisles between rows or columns of seats are wide enough fortesting personnel to circulate during the examination without disturbing students—atleast three feet shoulder to shoulder. Whenever possible, seat left-handed students in a separate column at the right of the test room (as viewed from the front of the room), or in the last seat of each column ofright-handed students. If left-handed writing surfaces are not available, arrange twocolumns of chairs side by side and instruct students to use the writing surface of theempty chair on the left.Make sure bulletin board materials related to potential test questions (English, mathematics,reading, and science), charts, and maps that provide strategies for solving problems orwriting essays are removed or covered. Geographical maps and periodic tables need not becovered.Your school is responsible for providing the following for each testing room:ⓦ Reliable stopwatch or interval timer ⓦ Wall clock (desirable, but not required) ⓦ Supply of soft-lead (No. 2) pencils with erasers for students who do not bring pencils ⓦ Pencil sharpener

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Examples of Seating Arrangements

One examinee L One left-handed examinee

One desk

6 or 8 feet(FRONT)

3 feet minimum 3 feet minimum

more than 9 feet(FRONT)

L

X

X

L

X

L

X

X

X

X

X

X

L

L

any size

(FRONT)3 feet minimum

3 fe

et m

inim

um

3 fe

et m

inim

um


(FRONT)

Level Seating withStationary Desks

Level Seating withMovable Desks

3 feet minimum

8-Foot Table Spacing

Other Spacing

8 feet 8 feet(FRONT)

3 feet minimum

(FRONT) 6 feet 6 feet

6-Foot Table Spacing

TABLE SPACING

X

L

X

L

X

L

L

L

Left-handed Examineesat Right-handed Desks

(FRONT)

L

X

X

L

X

X

L

X

X5 fe

et m

inim

um

3 feet minimum

Multiple-Level Seating with Stationary Desks


9


Use of Calculators on the Mathematics TestACT allows the use of a calculator on the ACT Plan Mathematics Test (but not on anyof the other tests in ACT Plan). Students are not required to use a calculator. Allproblems can be solved without a calculator. If students regularly use a calculator intheir math work, they may wish to use one they are familiar with as they take theMathematics Test. Using a more powerful, but unfamiliar, calculator is not likely to givestudents an advantage over using the kind they normally use. Students may use any four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator, unless it hasfeatures described in the Prohibited list. For models on the Permitted withModification list, they will be required to modify some of the calculator’s features.

Calculators Permitted With Modification The following types of calculators are permitted, but only after they are modified asnoted: ⓦ calculators with paper tape—Remove the tape.ⓦ calculators that make noise—Turn off the sound.ⓦ calculators with an infrared data port—Completely cover the infrared data port withheavy opaque material such as duct tape or electrician’s tape (includes Hewlett-Packard HP 38G and HP 39G series and HP 48G).

ⓦ calculators that have power cords—Remove all power/electrical cords.Prohibited Calculators

The following types of calculators are prohibited:ⓦ calculators with built-in computer algebra systems—Prohibited calculators in this category include:— Texas Instruments: All model numbers that begin with TI-89 or TI-92; and the TI-Nspire CAS—Note: The TI-Nspire (non-CAS) is permitted.

— Hewlett-Packard: HP 48GII and all model numbers that begin with HP 40G, HP 49G, or HP 50G

— Casio: Algebra fx 2.0, ClassPad 400, ClassPad 300, ClassPad 330, and all modelnumbers that begin with CFX-9970G

ⓦ handheld, tablet, or laptop computers, including PDAsⓦ electronic writing pads or pen-input devices—Note: The Sharp EL 9600 is permitted.ⓦ calculators built into cell phones or any other electronic communication devicesⓦ calculators with a typewriter keypad (letter keys in QWERTY format)—Note: Letter keys not in QWERTY format are permitted.

ACT regularly updates information about which calculators are prohibited. To be certain their calculator will be permitted on test day, students should visit www.act.org/planstudent/tips/calculator.html or call 800.498.6481 for a recorded message.

Q W E R T Y U I O P

A S D F G H J K L

Z X C V B N M

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 BS

CAPS √ SPACE INS DEL ENTER

OFF cancel x – m+ m–

ON % + ÷ = MENUNEWENTRY EDIT

.,

^^

Paper tape

MC MC MC MC

MC MR M– M+ ÷

% 7 8 9 x

√ 4 5 6 –

C 1 2 3 +

AC 0 • =

235 +20 –12 +

4,568 x3 –

Examples of Permitted Calculators

Scienti!c or graphing

a/b ab √ sto

7 8 9 )

4 5 6 ÷

1 2 3 +

0 • ENTER

sin cos tan x log

set del BS

ON

x

(

–

(-)

IN

CL

zoom

quit +/– MR M– M+ ÷

% 7 8 9 x

√ 4 5 6 –

C 1 2 3 +

AC 0 • =

Examples of Prohibited Calculators

QWERTY keyboardFour-function

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Options to Consider Before Administration

Options to Consider Before AdministrationACT Plan offers a number of administration options to best match the needs of yourschool. ACT recommends that you discuss these options with your school or districtadministration, assessment staff, and faculty well in advance of your ACT Plan testing.

1-Day or 2-Day AdministrationIf the entire ACT Plan program is administered in one day, the student informationsections of the test must be administered first, followed by the four academic tests(English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science). Because of the time required to complete the student information sections of ACT Plan,some schools prefer to administer ACT Plan over a two-day period. In this case, thestudent information sections must be administered on Day 1, and the academic tests onDay 2. If your schedule allows, this option may increase the students’ focus andminimize testing fatigue. However, care must be taken to ensure that students have thecorrect answer folder on Day 2. In no case should the academic tests of ACT Plan beadministered prior to the student information sections. Doing so increases the riskof students filling in random bubbles on the test sections if they did not complete asection of the test or otherwise making extraneous marks that can affect scoring.

Choosing a Testing OptionPrior to the test day, determine which administration option will be used to presentinstructions for the student information sections. Remember that these sectionsshould be administered prior to the tests and will take approximately 60–75minutes. You and your staff may select any of the following options for theadministration:ⓦ Option 1: Room supervisor reads all directions aloud to the students as they followalong with their copies of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder.

ⓦ Option 2: Students read most of the directions themselves from their copies ofInstructions for Completing Your Answer Folder.

ⓦ Option 3: Room supervisor reads directions for Pre-ID label users aloud to thestudents as they follow along with their copies of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder.

Academic Tests The academic tests must be administered on a single day to all students at the sametime since this model was used in the national ACT Plan norming study. The testsshould be administered in the order presented in the test booklet (English, Mathematics,Reading, and Science). Allow 130–140 minutes for the academic test sections, includingdistribution and collection of materials, instructions, and a break. Exceptions to thispolicy are make-up testing and accommodated testing, which are discussed later in this manual.

Pre-ID LabelsACT Plan offers Student Pre-ID Labels to help schools and districts save administrationtime and ensure accuracy in student demographic information. To place your order, go to www.act.org/education/order/preid. Please contact Customer Services at877.789.2925 if you have questions regarding this process. Please allow at least threeweeks after the receipt of a correctly formatted file for processing and delivery of your Pre-ID label order. The labels must be applied to page 1 of the ACT Plan answerfolder prior to your test day, as directed in the instructions that will be provided withyour labels.

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Student InformationACT recommends careful completion of all student identification information on thestudent answer folder. These identification fields (name, date of birth, gender, Student IDnumber, address), allow for positive identification of student test record results as well aslongitudinal analyses of ACT Plan and other ACT results that require the matching ofindividual student records. Summary results such as ACT’s Linkage Reports trackstudent progress from ACT Plan to the ACT® college readiness assessment, and assist inidentifying areas of instruction and/or assistance from which students may benefit.

Optional Sort Codes—Block MThree-digit optional sort codes may be used if you wish to receive Student Score Reportssorted by classroom, teacher, or other grouping. If you use sort codes, you must preparedirections to be read to the students, instructing them to enter the appropriate code inblock M of the answer folder. On the ACT Plan School Header, you must also complete block H, “Do you want student reports in sort code order?” Reports will not beprepared by sort code unless you respond “Yes” in block H. Customized ProfileSummary Reports may also be ordered by sort code. There is an additional fee for thesereports.Pre-ID Label Users Only: If you wish to use sort codes and you are using Pre-IDlabels, you must include sort codes in your Pre-ID file. This eliminates the need forstudents to grid this data in block M of their answer folder. The sort code data in thePre-ID file overrides any student entered data in this field.

Supplemental Local Items—Block VBlock V on the ACT Plan answer folder allows collection of student responses to asmany as 12 supplemental items developed by your school or district. Questions for thissection might cover topics such as the number of hours spent studying, watchingtelevision, or working each day or week; interest in vocational/technical courses, orstudent opinions about various aspects of the school environment. Questions must bedesigned for students to select only one response per item. Your ACT Plan ProfileSummary Report will include a table summarizing student responses by item numberand response option. Responses are also included in the student data file CD.If your school/district chooses to develop and administer supplemental items, each roomsupervisor should have sufficient copies of the items to distribute to students duringadministration of the student information sections.

Testing Students From Other SchoolsIf you include students from other schools in your ACT Plan test administration, ACTrecommends that you be prepared to provide these students with the correct ACTschool code number for their respective schools to be entered in block L of the ACTPlan answer folder. If students from your school are taking ACT Plan at another school,be sure to provide them with your correct school code. If you are administering ACT Plan jointly with another school, it is extremely importantthat you submit completed answer folders separately for each school in order for resultsto be recorded for and reported to the correct school. Prepare a School Header for eachschool and each grade tested within the school, shipping each school’s answer folders inseparate envelopes. All students should indicate on page 1 of the ACT Plan answerfolder that they are testing at their own school. The school identified on each SchoolHeader (or its billing entity) is responsible for payment of ACT Plan scoring fees for allanswer folders submitted under that header.

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Testing Home-Schooled Students

If you are testing any home-schooled students, instruct them to choose “NO” in block Kand to enter 979-999 as their high school code in block L. Their ACT Plan reports willbe mailed directly to the school where the student tested. The answer folder(s) should besubmitted with those of your own students. When these procedures are followed, home-schooled students will not be included in ACT Plan results for your school. However,your school is responsible for collecting and paying testing fees due to ACT.

Testing Students Through a Postsecondary Outreach or Other SpecialProgram

If you are administering ACT Plan to students from one or more high schools as part ofa college outreach or other special program, and you want to receive all ACT Planreports, students should respond “Yes” to block K and omit block L when completingthe student background information on the ACT Plan answer folder. Complete a SchoolHeader (Figure 2, page 43) with your outreach program’s ACT Plan code and the namethat appears on your packing list. All reports will then be returned to theinstitution/program identified on the School Header.If students respond “No” to block K and provide a valid high school code number inblock L, their reports will be mailed to that high school rather than to theinstitution/program identified on the School Header.

Makeup TestingMakeup test sessions for students who are absent or become ill during scheduled testsessions should be administered in accordance with the standard test administrationprocedures described in this manual. Return all answer folders to the ACT scoringcenter at the same time to ensure that your School Profile Summary Report is complete.

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Testing Students With Accommodations

Testing Students With AccommodationsStudents with physical or learning disabilities who cannot complete the ACT Plan testsin the standard time limits, using standard test materials, may be tested under specialconditions and/or using accommodated testing materials available from ACT. Allstudent information sections of the ACT Plan program can be completed with theassistance of a reader or scribe in an untimed setting.

Recommended Eligibility Requirements for Accommodated Testing The following section pertains to students who need accommodated testing. Procedureslisted in the section ACT Plan Test Administration Procedures must be followedprecisely unless specifically addressed in this section of the manual. Administration of ACT Plan with accommodations is entirely at the discretion of schoolpersonnel. However, ACT recommends accommodated administrations of ACT Planonly for students with current documented disabilities, and who have beenprofessionally diagnosed as physically or learning disabled such that they cannot testunder standard conditions. Students best served by the use of a testing accommodationare those for whom the accommodation would minimize the impact of the student’sdisability when it is not relevant to the primary focus of the assessment, thus giving amore accurate picture of the student’s ability. To be considered current, the diagnosisshould have been made or reconfirmed within the last three years. An IndividualEducation ACT Plan (IEP) or 504 plan on file at the school within the last three schoolyears is generally acceptable evidence of reconfirmation. Students and parents shouldunderstand that students will not necessarily be eligible for accommodations on the ACTsimply because they receive accommodations on ACT Plan.Students may be accommodated for testing if they require: ⓦ an audio DVD or Braille version of the test ⓦ a reader who must use a reader’s script prepared by ACT. ACT recommends testingindividually in a separate room as is required when using a reader while taking theACT test.

ⓦ a scribe to record student responses on the answer sheet (must be in a separate roomas is required when taking the ACT test)

ⓦ additional breaks with standard time (must be in a separate room as is required whentaking the ACT test)

ⓦ separate test sessions ⓦ testing over multiple days ⓦ extended time to complete each test ⓦ a sign language interpreter to sign verbal instructions, test items, and response choicesin exact English signing (ESS) if authorized by the test supervisor (ACT recommendstesting individually in a separate room as is required when using an interpreter whiletaking the ACT test.)

Testing ArrangementsAccommodated testing may be administered at a time mutually convenient for thestudent and test supervisor, as close as possible to the date on which ACT Plan isadministered to other students. ACT recommends that students receiving extendedtime plus any type of assistance from a reader or scribe be tested in a separateroom as is required when taking the ACT test. Students using an audio DVD maytest as a group provided they all use individual earphones and can control the progressof their own audio DVD player and the time allotted is the same for all students. Testsshould be administered at the school, not in the supervisor’s home or other location,unless the student is currently confined to his or her home or is receiving homeboundinstruction. To protect both the examinee and the supervisor from questions of potentialconflict, the room supervisor must not be a relative or guardian of the examinee.

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Testing Over Multiple Days or During Separate SessionsIf testing over multiple days has been authorized, each test must be completed duringone session and the examinee may not return to a previous test after being dismissed forthat testing session.

Testing More Than One Examinee at a TimeACT normally encourages group administrations for examinees with similaraccommodations. However, ACT recommends that a student testing with a readerbe tested individually as is required when using a reader while taking the ACTtest. In contrast, examinees using audio DVDs may test as a group, provided they alluse individual earphones and can control the progress of their own audio DVD players.

Accommodated Testing OptionsStudents with visual impairment or blindness may use a large-print (18 point) orBraille test form, have the test read to them, have assistance in marking their responses,use a large-print response worksheet, and/or receive extended time. A reader’s script oraudio DVD test forms provided by ACT may be used.Students with hearing impairments whose hearing loss has caused a reading disabilitymay be considered for extended time. An interpreter may assist with the pre-testinformation and instructions. A copy of the verbal instructions to students can beprovided for the student to read. If exact English signing of test questions has beenauthorized by the test supervisor, a reader’s script must be used with the samerestrictions described above.Students with learning disabilities may be eligible for extended time and/or either areader or an audio DVD, with headphones and playback machine for each examinee,consistent with testing accommodations currently provided at the school.Students with motor disabilities that affect their ability to mark the answer folder maybe eligible for extended time, use of large-print materials or a reader, or assistance inmarking responses.For students who use a large-print response worksheet, item responses must be carefullytransferred by school personnel to a standard ACT Plan answer folder for scoring. ACT willnot score a large-print worksheet or transfer responses to a standard answer folder.

Accommodation CodesA testing accommodation code should be marked in the shaded box at the top of theback page of the answer folder (see graphic below) for all students receiving anaccommodation. Mark the one code that best describes the accommodation given.

The codes are as follows: 1. Standard print materials with extended time limits (no other assistance) 2. Large-print test booklet with standard time limits 3. Large-print test booklet with extended time limits 4. Oral presentation from audio DVD with extended time limits

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AccommodationsMark only one.

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5. Oral presentation (from reader’s script only) with extended time limits 6. Braille test booklet with extended time limits 7. Scribe to transfer answers to answer folder with standard time limits 8. Scribe to transfer answers to answer folder with extended time limits 9. Assistive communication device (e.g., FM audio system) with extended time limits 10. Reserved for future useWhen a code of 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 9 is gridded, the test is considered “non-standardbecause of extended time allowed for testing.” In most cases, these records will not beincluded in any aggregated data (e.g., School Profile Summary Report, Item–ResponseSummary Report, or College Readiness Standards data).

Security of Test MaterialsTest materials are to be kept in a secure area with limited access. Only the testsupervisor and possibly a few specifically authorized persons may have access to thearea. The supervisor must protect the materials from damage, theft, or loss. ACT Plan test booklets, answer documents, alternate formats, manuals, and other testmaterials are copyrighted and cannot be photocopied, replicated, or used for any otherpurpose. Test booklets should not be opened by any person other than the examinee onthe test date.

Standardized ProceduresThroughout this document, there are detailed directions for selecting facilities and staff, protecting test security, and administering tests in a standardized manner. Allaccommodated testing personnel should read the materials provided by ACT, includingthe entire contents of this manual.

Selecting Test RoomsTest supervisors are responsible for selecting and reserving test rooms. The followingparagraphs describe the types of rooms to avoid and the room characteristics that willhelp in having a successful accommodated testing experience. The tests must be administered at the school or institution, not in the supervisor’s homeor other location. If the examinee is currently confined to his or her home or isreceiving homebound instruction, the test supervisor may allow for administering thetests in the home of the examinee. If you will be testing more than one examinee withthe same accommodations in the same room, select rooms that are not so small as to becrowded. Arrange your seating to prevent examinees from communicating withneighbors or from looking at others’ answer folders. ACT prefers classrooms andrecommends no more than 10 examinees with accommodations be tested in one room. Be sure to reserve the room for each day you will be testing. It is best to scheduleconsecutive days for examinees that are to test over multiple days, but you may skip aday or a weekend as necessary, as long as the tests are administered in sequence.

Accessibility Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, ACT Plan tests must be offered in locationsaccessible to persons with disabilities or alternative arrangements must be made for suchexaminees. Test supervisors should select test facilities and rooms accessible to personswith disabilities whenever possible.

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Materials Available From ACT Your accommodated testing materials may include:ⓦ Regular-Type (10 pt.) Test Booklet for examinees without visual impairmentsⓦ Large-Type (18 pt.) Test Booklet for examinees with visual impairmentsⓦ Braille Booklet (one volume)—one regular-type booklet included for supervisorreference. (Supervisor is not to read tests to examinee.) Extended Time

ⓦ Audio DVD—one regular-type booklet included for examinee. (Room supervisor is notto read tests to examinee.) See Audio DVD Information Guide below. Extended Time

ⓦ Reader’s Script—One reference copy of regular-type booklet included for examinee.(Room Supervisor is allowed to read tests to examinee.) Extended Time

ⓦ Answer Folders—regular-type for examinees without visual impairmentsⓦ Large-Type Worksheet—One large-type worksheet is included in each large-printtesting packet. If additional copies are needed for large-print testing, call ACT PlanCustomer Services at 877.789.2925. If the examinee uses a large-type worksheet orwrites responses in the test booklet, the supervisor must transfer the responses to theanswer folder. You must transfer responses before returning materials to ACT.ACT will not score large-type worksheets.

Audio DVD Information GuideIntroduction, Guidelines, General Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD 1 Test 1—English . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD 1 and 2 Test 2—Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD 3 Test 3—Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD 4 Test 4—Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DVD 5

Use of Audio DVD VersionAudio DVD players must have the capability to page forward or back by tracks. Anindex of the tracks is included with each set and must be available to the examinee.There is also an index on the DVD. The narration on the audio DVD cannot be playedwithin the standard time limits allowed for each test. Examinees must be allowed time toreplay any portion of the test being worked on as many times as necessary, within theapproved time limits. Students may be given up to 120 minutes to complete Test 1,and up to 90 minutes to complete each of the other three tests. Do not begin timinguntil the examinee has listened to all of the directions, and do not end timing untilhe/she has had time to review the responses.

Sign Language Interpreter for Spoken Instructions If your school chooses to make available the services of a sign language interpreter,examinees with hearing impairments requiring extended time or testing over multipledays may request to test with the assistance of an interpreter. The interpreter may stayin the room throughout the administration and is expected to sign all instructionsspoken by the room supervisor throughout the test and interpret any questions from theexaminee to the room supervisor and his/her responses. Actual test items may not beinterpreted without authorization from the test supervisor.

Sign Language Interpreter for Exact English Signing of Items The interpreter is required to use exact English signing and may sign for only onestudent in a separate room as is required when taking the ACT Plan test. The interpretermust sign from the script provided and follow the same procedures as listed for a reader(see next page).

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ReaderACT recommends that a reader read for only one student in a separate room and berequired to read from the script provided without change or comment. Passages may be repeated, but only as requested by the examinee. Each time a passage is read, thereader should read the test directions, test passages, and test questions exactly as theyare presented, with no explanation and no additional information provided to theexaminee through the reading. Use of a reader will require extended time.All ACT Plan questions rely on the student being able to comprehend and respond to the test materials exactly as written. Any additional information, explanation, ortranslation would affect what the tests are designed to measure.

Materials Supplied by the Test Supervisor/SchoolYour school is responsible for providing the following items for each testing room: ⓦ A supply of soft-lead (No. 2) pencils (no ink or mechanical pencils) to lend toexaminees who did not bring them

ⓦ A pencil sharpener ⓦ Two reliable timepieces: watch, stopwatch, or interval timer ⓦ If the audio DVD version of the test is being used, a playback machine withearphones

Materials That May Be Supplied by the Examinee(s) Tell examinees to bring soft-lead (No. 2) pencils with good erasers to the testing session.If any of the following devices are specifically needed by the examinee, the examinee isexpected to bring his or her own unless the school normally provides them for thestudents:ⓦ Abacusⓦ Braille stylusⓦ Magnifying glassⓦ Color overlaysⓦ Permitted calculator (if desired) for use on the Mathematics Test (See page 9 of thismanual for an explanation of permitted calculators.)

Ordering Accommodated Testing MaterialsAccommodated testing materials can be ordered online at www.act.org/plan. If youhave questions about ordering additional accommodated testing materials, call ACT PlanCustomer Services at 877.789.2925.

TimingTesting with most accommodations requires extended time allowances. The testsupervisor will have determined by category the time allowances for each test. In mostcases, the timing will be time-and-a-half or double the standard test time. In some casesthe test may not be timed at all. You will need to substitute the appropriate text inthe Verbal Instructions where reference is made to the specific test time. If thestudent testing will be untimed, the verbal reference to specific test times should beomitted. If the test is timed, the room supervisor should use a stopwatch or intervaltimer to keep time. To verify the time given for each test, the Start and Stop times andthe 5-minutes-remaining time should be written in the appropriate place in this manual;computations should be checked carefully before time is called. Scores cannot beadjusted to compensate for a mistiming. If a mistiming does occur, allow the students to make up the shortage of time beforebeing dismissed. If a shortage on a previous test is discovered after students have begunwork on the next test, do not interrupt their work. Wait until the current test iscompleted; then, allow the additional time on the previous test.

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ACT Plan Test Administration Policies (Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.)

ACT Plan Test Administration PoliciesUnauthorized Testing Aids

The use of highlight pens, scratch paper, notes, unapproved calculating devices, foreignlanguage dictionaries, or other dictionaries is not permitted. Scratch work is to be donein the test booklet.

Questions/Guessing During the testing session, do not answer questions regarding individual test items orquestions about how to use a calculator. Specific instructions about guessing are printed on the back cover of the test booklet. Ifstudents ask you about guessing, refer them to these instructions. Do not comment on oradd in any way to the printed directions.

Rest PeriodWhen the tests are to be administered in a single session, allow students a short (five toten minutes) rest period between Test 2 and Test 3. If the student information sectionsare administered in the same session as the academic tests, you may also allow a breakbefore Test 1. Do not allow students to leave the room except to use the rest room. Theymay stand and move around the room or stand by their desks for a few moments.

Leaving the Room During TestingStudents may be allowed to go to the restroom during the timed portion of the tests, butit is best not to make a general announcement to that effect. Only one student mayleave the testing room at a time without being accompanied by a proctor. Collect thetest booklet and answer folder before the student leaves the room and return thematerials when the student returns. Students who leave the room during the timedportion of the test may not make up lost time. Such absences need not be recorded onthe Testing Irregularity Report form. Do not leave a testing room unsupervised atany time.

Announcement of Time RemainingA verbal announcement of time remaining will be read five minutes before theend of each test. Do not distract examinees during the test session with additional oralor written announcements of time remaining. If a clock is visible to all students in the testing room, you may post the Start and Stop times and/or time allowed for each test on the board (e.g., Test 1, 30 minutes: Start time—9:00, Stop time—9:30). Do not post time remaining.

Electronic DevicesExaminees are not allowed to have cell phones, pagers, tablets, or any electroniccommunication devices on their person. Preferably they should not bring them into thetesting room; if they do, these devices should be turned off and placed under their desks.Beeper alarms on watches, pagers, or cell phones can distract examinees. A warning toexaminees to NOT set watch or cell phone alarms is included in the verbal instructions.

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(Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.) ACT Plan Test Administration Policies

Reporting Irregularities in Testing AdministrationThe Testing Irregularity Report on page 73 is intended for use primarily by schoolpersonnel as a record of any test administration irregularities that may affect studentscores or the interpretation of ACT Plan results. Testing personnel should use the formto report any of the irregularities occurring within the room. Room supervisors shoulddocument any of the following occurrences during administration of the tests:1. A student becomes ill or leaves the room during testing. 2. A student fails to follow instructions (marks responses randomly, obviously does not

read questions prior to responding, or refuses to mark responses). 3. A student exhibits behavior that disrupts other students. 4. A student is observed reading ahead in the test booklet, working ahead or behind,

giving or receiving assistance, or filling in ovals after time is called. See page 20 forinstructions on voiding one or more tests.

5. A student is observed using unauthorized testing aids. See page 20 for instructionson voiding one or more tests.

6. A test is mistimed. 7. A disturbance or distraction occurs which could affect one or more students’ scores. 8. A student questions the accuracy or validity of an item. 9. A student has a defective test booklet or answer folder.10. A student is observed using a cell phone, pager, or any electronic communications

device.11. A student is observed engaging in, or attempting to engage, in any prohibited

behavior.Retain a copy of all Testing Irregularity Reports and original voided answer documentsin your school at least until ACT Plan results are received and distributed to students.Make a copy of any Testing Irregularity Reports that involve defective materials,challenged test items, or timing errors that could not be corrected. Forward the originalcopies of all Testing Irregularity Reports to ACT with the completed answer folders.Attach defective materials to the report.

Student Challenge of Test ItemsIf a student challenges typographical errors or ambiguities in particular test items,instruct the student to choose an answer on the basis of the information available. Makean entry on the Testing Irregularity Report, including identification of the test form, thetest and item, and an explanation of the student’s question. ACT will respond toconcerns about individual test items.

MistimingUse a stopwatch or interval timer to ensure the exact time is allowed for each test.Scores CANNOT BE ADJUSTED to compensate for a mistiming. To verify the timegiven for each test, the Start and Stop times and the 5-minutes-remaining time must bewritten in the appropriate place in this manual (in pencil) and computations checkedcarefully before time is called. If a proctor is assigned to the room, that person shouldalso keep time with the room supervisor. If a mistiming does occur, allow the students to make up a shortage of time before beingdismissed. If a shortage on a previous test is discovered after students have begun workon the next test, do not interrupt their work. Wait until that test has been completed;then, allow the additional time on the previous test. Report any mistiming that could notbe corrected on the Testing Irregularity Report and return the report with your answerfolders.

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ACT Plan Test Administration Policies (Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.)

Defective Test Booklet or Answer FolderReplace a defective test booklet or answer folder as quickly as possible with another fromyour supply to minimize time lost. If you are replacing a test booklet and have alreadybegun administering the test sections, be sure to replace it with one of the same form. Ifyou are replacing an answer folder, have the student transfer all information to the newanswer folder after the timed portion of testing is completed. Mark the defective answerfolder VOID. Describe the nature of the defect on the Testing Irregularity Report(page 73) and attach defective materials to the report.

Voiding Tests or Answer FoldersIndividual tests may be voided by gridding the appropriate oval under Void ScoringCodes (VSC) at the top of the back page of the answer folder (illustrated below)—E tovoid English, M to void Mathematics, R to void Reading, and S to void Science. Ifit is determined that an entire answer folder should not be scored, mark the documentVOID and retain the voided answer folder in the student’s file or your testing files toverify the reason the student is not receiving a score report. Do not return thecompletely voided answer folder to ACT. The student should always be informed if atest or answer folder is voided, and an entry should be made on the Testing IrregularityReport.

Student Who Becomes IllIf a student becomes ill and asks to leave the room after starting the timed academictests, collect the student’s answer folder and test booklet. If the student returns to theroom and continues testing, the lost time cannot be made up.If the student wishes to discontinue testing because of illness, try to determine whetherhe or she wants to have the answer folder scored. If the answer folder is to be scored, allstudent information sections completed and tests attempted will be scored. If the entireanswer folder is to be voided, mark it VOID; DO NOT return the answer folder to ACT.For school records, make an entry on the Testing Irregularity Report explaining why theanswer folder was voided. Only mark the “Void Scoring Codes” if you wish to void aportion of a student’s test. When a scoring code is marked, that portion of the testwill not be scored.

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(Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.) ACT Plan Test Administration Policies

Prohibited Behavior The following behaviors are prohibited during administration of the ACT Plan tests: ⓦ looking back at a previous test on which time has already been called. ⓦ looking ahead in the test booklet. ⓦ looking at someone else’s test booklet or answer folder. ⓦ giving or receiving assistance. ⓦ disturbing other examinees. ⓦ using headphones (other than by examinees taking ACT Plan via audio DVD underaccommodated testing arrangements).

ⓦ using highlight pens, scratch paper, notes, or dictionaries. ⓦ using a calculator on any test other than the Mathematics Test. ⓦ sharing a calculator with another examinee. ⓦ using calculators to share or exchange information during the test. ⓦ using any device to share or exchange information at any time during the tests orduring break (all electronic communication devices, including cell phones, must beturned off from the time the examinee is admitted to test until dismissal after testingconcludes).

ⓦ attempting to remove test materials, including test questions or answers, from the testroom by any means.

ⓦ filling in ovals after time has been called. Filling in ovals on a previous test during alater test or filling in ovals even with the test booklet closed is prohibited.

If you SUSPECT a student is engaged in any of the prohibited activities, discreetly warnthe student that these actions are prohibited and continue close observation. Todiscourage looking at someone else’s answer folder or giving or receiving assistance, youmay move the student to another seat. Document your suspicions and actions on theTesting Irregularity Report (page 73). If you OBSERVE any of these behaviors, collect the answer folder and test booklet.Advise the student that the answer folder will not be scored. Void the entire answerfolder and the test booklet, but do not return them to ACT. On the Testing IrregularityReport, include an explanation of why the answer folder was voided.

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Test Day Procedures (Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.)

TestDay ProceduresPreviously Completed Student Information Sections

If you administer the student information sections of ACT Plan on a previous day, handthe answer folders directly to each student to ensure that each student has his or herown answer folder. Once this is completed and students have confirmed they have theirown answer folder, you may distribute the test booklets.

Same-Day Completion of Student Information SectionsDistribute an answer folder and copy of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder to eachstudent. These materials may be counted and given to the first student in each row to passback. The test supervisor will have informed you as to whether the instructions are to beread aloud to students or if they may proceed on their own following the printedinstructions. A break will typically follow completion of the student information sections.Wait until all students have completed blocks A through U before taking this break. Once all students have returned from the break and are seated, distribute the testbooklets. Do not pass test booklets back or across the aisles. During the examination,count the booklets being used and the extras. The total must equal the number ofbooklets assigned to the room. Before the test is administered, no person is allowed toexamine the contents of the test booklets. Room supervisors and proctors should walk around the room while students arecompleting both the student information and test sections of ACT Plan to be surestudents are working in the correct sections of their answer folders.

Checking CalculatorsStudents are responsible for making sure their calculator is working and has reliablebatteries. Students may bring a backup calculator and extra batteries to the test. Studentswill not be allowed to share calculators during testing. Testing staff will check calculators before testing to verify they are permitted, and theywill monitor students’ use of their calculators to ensure that the students: ⓦ use a calculator only during the Mathematics Test; ⓦ use a backup calculator only after it has been checked by a member of the testing staff; ⓦ do not share a calculator; and ⓦ do not store test materials in the calculator’s memory. If a student’s calculator has characters one inch high or larger, or a raised display, testingstaff may seat the student where no other test taker can see the calculator.

Avoiding Common Errors When Completing Answer Folders To expedite reporting of ACT Plan results, room supervisors should be aware of thetypes of errors students commonly make when completing their ACT Plan answerfolders. Emphasize the correct procedures to avoid these errors, walking around thetesting room to observe students as they complete these steps.In completing blocks B and P–S (student name and address), students must:ⓦ start with the first box and first column of ovals in a block.ⓦ grid last and first name and address in addition to printing them in the boxes.ⓦ fill in only one oval per column.When completing blocks D–O (important record identification information), double-check for accuracy of information written in the boxes and gridded below. It is highlydesirable for testing personnel to check these sections of the students’ answer folders,particularly block G (gender), block J (grade level), block K (testing at own school), andblock L (high school code for students not testing at their own school) since these dataelements can affect School Profile Summary Reports. ACT will not correct thisinformation on student records after answer folders are processed.

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(Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.) Verbal Instructions

Verbal Instructions for Student Information Sections

Room Supervisor InstructionsPlease study these instructions before the test day. The student informationsections that you are about to administer may be handled by reading theinstructions to the students (Option 1), by leading the students through thesections as they read the instructions (Option 2), or for schools using Pre-IDLabels, by reading the instructions specific for using Pre-ID Labels to thestudents (Option 3). Your test supervisor will advise you as to whichoption will be used.ACT recommends that the appropriate box with a question mark next to thetext be highlighted for ease of identifying the correct text for your situation.Read aloud all instructions enclosed in the applicable shaded blocks (exceptthose in parentheses, which are for your information only); do not departfrom this text. Where a series of dots appears, pause to let the students followinstructions.

Read the first shaded block to all students (Options 1–3). Whenall students have been admitted and seated, and everyone has apencil, greet the students and say:

Please clear your desks of everything except your pencils. During thesetest activities no food or drink will be permitted. The use of timers, cellphones, and electronic devices of any kind is not allowed at any time,including during the break. If your phone or other device is activated, or you use it at any time, you will be dismissed, the device may beconfiscated, and your answer document will not be scored. Take amoment to confirm the power is turned off on all devices and place them on the floor under your seat. If you brought a calculator, put itaway now; you may use it only during the Mathematics Test. . . .

The information that you provide when you fill out your ACT Plan answerfolder will be used to prepare reports for you and our school. Be careful tofollow these instructions and those on the folder itself. Your answer folderwill be scanned by machine. It is essential to follow directions and to markyour responses accurately to ensure that the responses ACT records for youare the ones you intend. Use a soft-lead (No. 2) pencil to complete youranswer folder. Do not use ink or mechanical pencil. Fill in each ovalcompletely, making sure all marks are dark and heavy and within theappropriate ovals. All errors must be erased thoroughly.

ACT Plan answer folders and instruction booklets are now going to bedistributed. Do not mark on either of them until you are told to do so.

Distribute the answer folders and instruction booklets.

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Verbal Instructions (Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.)

Option 1: Room Supervisor Reads All InstructionsRead these instructions if students are to follow along while theroom supervisor reads aloud all instructions for completingstudent information sections.

Turn to page 2 of your instruction booklet. Read the information at thetop of page 2, paying particular attention to the instructions in boldfacetype in the right-hand column. . . .

Note that the information you provide on your answer folder, as well asyour scores, may be used by ACT as described in ACT’s data use policy. Asummary of this policy can be found at the top of page 2 of yourinstruction booklet.

Now turn your answer folder so that page 1 faces you. In block A, printthe name of the school where you are testing. . . . In block B, print yourname in the boxes labeled Last Name, First Name, MI (for middle initial).Begin in the first box for each part of your name. Enter as much aspossible using one box for each letter. Do not extend any part of yourname into the boxes reserved for another part of your name. Fill in thecorresponding oval in the column directly below each letter of yourname. Fill in the empty oval below any space or hyphen in your name.

Enter your school-assigned Student ID number in the boxes of block Dbeginning in the first box. Then fill in the corresponding oval below thenumber. ACT will use this number only for positive identification of yourtest record and to match your ACT Plan record to other ACT tests takenat other times (such as ACT Explore® or the ACT college readinessassessment). [If your school does not assign student IDs, you may instructstudents to leave this block blank.]

Turn to page 3 of your instruction booklet. In block F, Date of Birth, fill inthe oval next to the month you were born. Next, print the day and yearof your birth in the boxes provided. Enter a zero for any blank. Forexample, if born January 6, 1997, fill in the January oval, write 06 underday and 97 under year. Fill in the corresponding oval below each box. . . .

Fill in the appropriate oval for block G, Gender. . . .

In block H, Race/Ethnicity Background, fill in the oval corresponding tothe response that best represents whether or not you are of Hispanic orLatino background. Mark only one response. Fill in the oval correspondingto the phrase that best represents your race as commonly recognized byyour family and friends. Mark all that apply.

Students should now turn to page 3 of their instruction booklet and resumewith block I. Block I asks students if they wish to participate in the EducationalOpportunity Service (EOS). EOS is a free college and scholarship informationservice for students who take ACT Plan. Through EOS, information aboutACT Plan-tested students is made available to colleges, scholarship programs,ACT, and other approved organizations so they may contact students aboutopportunities they may be interested in exploring. All organizations thatreceive EOS information have agreed to use it only for this purpose. Namesare not provided to the military or for any commercial purpose.

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Block I asks if you want to participate in the Educational OpportunityService (EOS), a FREE college and scholarship information service forstudents ages 13 or older who take ACT Plan. EOS permits you to receiveimportant information about educational, scholarship, career, andfinancial aid opportunities from colleges, scholarship programs, ACT, andother approved organizations. If you wish to participate, fill in the “Yes”oval. By responding “Yes,” you authorize ACT to send information aboutyou (your name, address, date of birth, gender, high school, race/ethnicbackground, e-mail address, and career choice) to colleges andorganizations so they may contact you about programs you may beinterested in exploring. All organizations that receive this informationhave agreed to use it only for this purpose. Note: They will not receiveyour test score or school ID.

In block J, indicate your present grade level.

If you are testing only students from your school, say:

Now look at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend? Fill in“YES” in block K and skip block L.

If you are testing students from one or more high schools as partof a college outreach or other special program and your counselorswant to receive all results for the students you are testing, havethe students respond “Yes” to block K and omit block L by saying:

Now look at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend? In orderfor your ACT Plan results to be returned to our program, fill in “Yes” andskip block L.

If your testing group includes home-schooled students or studentsfrom another high school, substitute the following instructions forblocks K and L:

Now look at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend? If youare a student at this school, fill in “YES” and leave block L blank.

If you attend another school, fill in “NO” in block K. Then, in block L,enter the ACT code of your high school and fill in the correct oval in eachcolumn. This will permit ACT to send your reports to your school. If youdo not know that number, please raise your hand.

If you are home-schooled, fill in “NO” in block K and enter 979-999 inblock L.

If a student from another school does not know the ACT code for that school,continue with the administration but make a note of the student’s name andschool. After the test session is completed, report this information to your testsupervisor. If needed, the test supervisor may call ACT Plan Customer Serv-ices (877.789.2925) and ask for the correct ACT high school code to be en-tered in block L of the student’s answer folder. The test supervisor must thenprint and grid this site code on the answer folder prior to sending to ACT.

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If your test supervisor has indicated that students should completeSort Codes in block M, distribute the instructions for completingthis block now. Then continue by saying:

Refer to pages 3 through 5 in your instruction booklet to complete block N, Student Information. This information is important becauseeducational and scholarship programs often wish to contact studentswho have specific educational plans or career interests or who haveparticular characteristics, such as religious affiliation. By providing thisinformation, you can receive information about educational and financialaid programs offered by colleges, scholarship and government agencies,and professional associations. There are ten questions in this section.Read the questions and response choices carefully, then mark yourresponses on your answer folder in block N. Look up when you havefinished. . . .

Next, print your current e-mail address, if you choose, in block O. If youanswered “Yes” to EOS in block I, colleges, scholarship programs, andACT may prefer to contact you by e-mail. You can still receiveinformation by regular mail if you do not have or wish to provide an e-mail address.

Again, look up when you are finished. . . .

Allow 5–10 minutes for students to complete blocks N and O.When everyone seems to be finished, say:

Raise your hand if you need more time to complete these blocks. . . .(Allow additional time if necessary.)

When students have finished block O, say:

Turn your answer folder to page 2. Now look at blocks P, Q, R, and S—Mailing Address, City, State Code, and ZIP Code. To receive mail fromcolleges, scholarship programs, and ACT, you must fill in the addressinformation correctly. In block P, print your current mailing address in theboxes. Be sure to leave a space between the parts of your address. If youneed to abbreviate in block P, refer to the abbreviations listed in yourinstruction booklet for examples. (Letter ovals are in the upper part andnumber ovals are in the lower part of block P.) If you live in an apartment,enter the apartment number after the name of the street, as shown in thefirst example below. In blocks Q, R, and S, enter your city, state, and ZIPcode. For block R, State Code, look at the list of state codes on page 2 ofyour answer folder. Fill in the correct oval in the column below each letterof your address.

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When students have finished blocks P, Q, R and S, say:

Turn to page 7 of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder, andfollow along as I read the instructions for completing block T, InterestInventory. The things you like to do now can give you clues about jobsyou might like in the future. This inventory will help identify jobs youmay want to explore. Show how much you would like doing each of theactivities listed below. Mark an answer to an activity even if you areuncertain how you feel about it. Consider whether you would like ordislike the activity, not your ability to do it.

For each activity, choose one of the answers below. In block T of youranswer folder, fill in the oval that contains the letter for your answer. Tryto answer like or dislike as often as possible.

• I would dislike doing this activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D

• I am indifferent (don’t care one way or the other) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I

• I would like doing this activity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . L

This should take you about 10 minutes. Look up when you finish. You maybegin. . . .

When everyone seems to have finished, say:

Does anyone need more time? (Allow additional time to complete blockT if necessary.)

Now look at block U, Needs Assessment. Read the seven items listed onyour answer folder. Mark all areas in which you feel you need additionalhelp. Look up when you have finished. . . .

If you are administering Supplemental Local Items, distributecopies of these questions now and continue:

I am now distributing some additional questions for you to completetoday. Begin when you receive your questions, marking ONLY ONEresponse per item in block V. Look up when you have finished. . . .

After everyone has finished, say:

Now turn your answer folder to page 3 and look at block W, High SchoolCourse/Grade Information. Read the directions before you begin. Referto page 8 in your instruction booklet for a description of each courselisted. The descriptions may help you decide which oval to fill in forcourses you have taken or plan to take. [If your test supervisor hasprepared a list of local course titles to be used in completing this section,distribute copies to the students now.]

Look up when you have finished. You may begin. . . .

After 15–20 minutes have passed and everyone seems to havefinished, say:

Does anyone need more time? (Allow additional time if necessary.)

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If you are NOT continuing with the ACT Plan academic tests in thissession, read the directions in the next box.

I/We will now collect your answer folders and instruction booklets. Turnyour answer folder so that page 1 faces you. Please sit quietly until allmaterials are collected.

Collect the answer folders and store them securely until they are redistributedon test day. Instruction booklets can be discarded or saved for later reference.

If you are CONTINUING with the ACT Plan academic tests today,continue below:

I/We will now collect your instruction booklets. Please pass them to thefront of your row. . . .

Close your answer folder and lay it on your desk with page 1 up. We’lltake a short break and then begin the ACT Plan tests. Our next break willbe between tests 2 and 3 of the four ACT Plan tests. Please be back inyour seats at __________. (Provide instructions about use of restrooms,etc. during the break.)

When students have returned to their seats, continue with theVerbal Instructions for the Academic Tests, page 36.

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Option 2: Students Read Instructions withGuidance from Room SupervisorRead these instructions if students are to complete the studentinformation sections on their own as they follow the directionsprinted in the booklet Instructions for Completing Your AnswerFolder.

The information you provide on your answer folder, as well as yourscores, may be used by ACT as described in their data use policy. Asummary of this policy can be found on page 2 of your instructionbooklet.

If you are only testing students from your school say:

Before you begin filling in your personal information, look on page 1 ofyour answer folder at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend?Since you are all students at this school, fill in “YES,” and you will thenskip block L.

Now turn to page 2 in your instruction booklet. Begin reading theinformation at the top of this page. Follow all the directions forcompletion of blocks A through L and then wait for further instructionsfrom me. When you have completed block L, put you pencil down andlook up. . . .

If your testing group includes home-schooled students or studentsfrom another high school say:

Before you begin filling in your personal information, look on page 1 ofyour answer folder at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend?If you are a student at this school, fill in “YES” now and leave block Lblank.

If you attend another school, fill in “NO” now in block K. Then, in blockL, enter the ACT code of your high school and fill in the correct oval ineach column. This will permit ACT to send your reports to your school. Ifyou do not know that number, please raise your hand.

If you are home-schooled, fill in “NO” now in block K and enter 979-999in block L.


If a student from another school does not know the ACT code for that school,continue with the administration but make a note of the student’s name andschool. After the test session is completed, report this information to your test supervisor. The test supervisor may call ACT Plan Customer Services(877.789.2925) and ask for the correct ACT high school code to be entered inblock L of the student’s answer folder. The test supervisor must then print andgrid this site code on the answer folder prior to sending to ACT.

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If you are testing students from one or more high schools as partof a college outreach or other special program and your testsupervisor wants to receive all results for the students you aretesting, have the students respond “Yes” to block K and omit block L by saying:

Now look at block K, Are You Testing at the School You Attend? In orderfor your ACT Plan results to be returned correctly, fill in “Yes” in thisblock, skipping block L.


This student information portion will take approximately 5 minutesto complete. When all students seem finished or 5 minutes havepassed, say:

Raise your hand if you need more time to complete blocks A through Lon your answer folder. . . . (Allow additional time if necessary.)

If your test supervisor has indicated that students should completeSort Codes in block M, distribute the instructions for completingthis block now. Then continue by saying:

Find block N, Student Information, at the bottom of your answer folder.Look at pages 3 through 5 in your instruction booklet. There are tenquestions in this section. Read the instructions and questions carefully.Choose your response to each question and fill in the correct oval. Lookup when you are finished. You may begin. . . .

When everyone seems to have finished or 5 minutes have passed, say:

Raise your hand if you need more time [Allow more time if necessary.]

Now look at block at the bottom of your answer folder. Turn to page 6 of your instruction booklet and read the instructions. Print your currente-mail address, if you choose, in block O.


Raise your hand if you need more time. [Allow more time if necessary.]Turn to page 2 of your answer folder and locate blocks P, Q, R, and S.Turn to page 6 of your instruction booklet. Read the instructions andenter your mailing address, city, state code, and ZIP code in these blocks.


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When everyone seems to have finished or 5 minutes have passed, say:

Raise your hand if you need more time. [Allow more time if necessary.]

Turn your answer folder so that block T, INTEREST INVENTORY, faces you. . . .

Turn to page 7 of the instruction booklet. . . . Read the instructionscarefully. For each of the activities, choose your response and fill in thecorresponding oval.

This should take about 10 minutes. Look up when you are finished. Youmay begin. . . .


Raise your hand if you need more time. [Allow more time if necessary.]

Now, look at block U, Needs Assessment. Read the seven items listed onyour answer folder. Mark all areas in which you feel you need additionalhelp. Look up when you have finished. . . .

If you are administering Supplemental Local Items, distributecopies of the questions provided by your test supervisor now andcontinue:

I am now distributing some additional questions for you to completetoday. Begin when you receive your questions. Mark your responses inblock V. You may mark only one response per question. Look up whenyou have finished. . . .

If you are not administering Supplemental Local Items, instructstudents to ignore block V.

Now turn your answer folder to page 3 and look at block W, High SchoolCourse/Grade Information. Read the directions before you begin. Referto page 8 in your instruction booklet for a description of each courselisted. The descriptions may help you decide which oval to fill in forcourses you have taken or plan to take. [If your test supervisor hasprepared a list of local course titles to be used in completing this section,distribute copies to the students now]


After 15–20 minutes have passed and everyone seems to havefinished say:

Does anyone need more time? [Allow more time if necessary.]

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If you are not continuing with the ACT Plan academic tests in thissession, read the directions in the next box.

I/We will now collect your answer folders and instruction booklets. Turnyour answer folder so that page 1 faces you. Please sit quietly until allmaterials are collected.

Collect the answer folders and store them securely until they are redistributedon test day. Instruction booklets should be discarded.

If you are continuing with the ACT Plan academic tests today,continue below:




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Option 3: Instructions for Pre-ID Label UsersIf your school ordered Pre-ID labels, hand the answer folders with the Pre-IDlabels directly to each student to ensure each student has his or her ownanswer folder. Read these instructions to ensure that students only completethe specific portions that apply to Pre-ID Users. Please note: Addressinformation will appear only if it was provided by your school.

The information you provide on your answer folder, as well as yourscores, may be used by ACT as described in their data use policy. Asummary of this policy can be found at the top of page 2 of yourinstruction booklet.

Carefully review the printed information on your Pre-ID label forcorrectness. Review the address on your barcoded label. This should bethe address where you receive your mail. If you answer “Yes” in block Ifor the Educational Opportunity Service, this is the address to whicheducational, scholarship, and financial aid information will be sent. Ifaddress corrections are needed, please fill in the oval in block C. Do notmake any changes on your Pre-ID label. For those of you who need tocorrect your mailing address (those who filled in the oval in block C)please turn to page 2 of your answer folder and complete only thespecific block (P, Q, R and/or S) of the address where the correction isneeded. Instructions for completing these blocks can be found on page 6of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder. You must leave blocks B, D–H and J–M blank.

If any of the other information printed on a student’s Pre-ID label is incorrect,have the student fill in all of the blocks of an unused answer folder as directedin the Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder.

Turn to page 3 of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder. Block Iasks if you wish to participate in the Educational Opportunity Service, aFREE college and scholarship information service for students ages 13 orolder who take ACT Plan. EOS permits you to receive importantinformation about educational, scholarship, career, and financial aidopportunities from colleges, scholarship programs, ACT, and otherapproved organizations. If you wish to participate, fill in the “Yes” oval.By responding “Yes,” you authorize ACT to send information about you(your name, address, date of birth, gender, high school, race/ethnicbackground, e-mail address, and career choice) to colleges andorganizations so they may contact you about programs you may beinterested in exploring. All organizations that receive EOS informationhave agreed to use it only for this purpose. Note: They will not receiveyour test score or school ID.

Refer to pages 3 through 5 in your instruction booklet to complete block N, Student Information. This information is important becauseeducational and scholarship programs often wish to contact studentswho have specific educational plans or career interests or have particularcharacteristics, such as religious affiliation. By providing this information,


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you can receive information about educational and financial aidprograms offered by colleges, scholarship and government agencies, andprofessional associations. There are ten questions in this section. Read thequestions and response choices carefully, then mark your responses onyour answer folder in block N. Look up when you have finished. . . .

Next, print your current e-mail address, if you choose, in block O. If youanswered “Yes” to EOS in Block I, colleges, scholarship programs, andACT may prefer to contact you by e-mail. You can still receiveinformation by regular mail if you do not have or wish to provide an e-mail address.

Again, look up when you are finished. . . .

Turn to page 7 of Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder, andread the instructions for completing block T, Interest Inventory. Beingcareful to follow the instructions given, mark your responses for eachactivity. This should take you about 10 minutes. Look up when you finish.You may begin. . . .


Does anyone need more time? (Allow additional time to complete blockT if necessary.)

Now look at block U, Needs Assessment. Read the directions before youbegin. Look up when you have finished. . . .

If you are administering Supplemental Local Items, distributecopies of these questions now and continue:

I am now distributing some additional questions for you to completetoday. Begin when you receive your questions, marking ONLY ONEresponse per item in block V. Look up when you have finished. . . .

After everyone has finished, say:

Now turn your answer folder to page 3 and look at block W, High SchoolCourse/Grade Information. Read the directions before you begin. Referto page 8 in your instruction booklet for a description of each courselisted. The descriptions may help you decide which oval to fill in forcourses you have taken or plan to take. [If your test supervisor hasprepared a list of local course titles to be used in completing this section,distribute copies to the students now.]


After 15–20 minutes have passed and everyone seems to havefinished, say:

Does anyone need more time? (Allow additional time if necessary.)

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If you are NOT continuing with the ACT Plan academic tests in thissession, read the directions in the next box.

I/We will now collect your answer folder and instruction booklet. Turnyour answer folder so that page 1 faces you. Please sit quietly until allmaterials are collected.

Collect the answer folders and store them securely until they are redistributedon test day. Instruction booklets should be discarded.

If you are CONTINUING with the ACT Plan academic tests today,continue below:




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Verbal Instructions for the Academic Tests

If the student information sections were administered on an earlier date, greetthe students at the beginning of this session and be sure all students have atleast one No. 2 pencil. Then redistribute the answer folders, being sure eachstudent has his or her own folder from the earlier session.

If you are continuing with the academic tests on the same day asthe student information sections, be sure students return from thebreak and take the same seats they were in previously.

Please check to be sure you have your own answer folder. . . . The testbooklets will now be distributed. Do not open them until I tell you to doso. When you receive your test booklet, print your name clearly andenter your school-assigned student ID in the space provided on the frontcover of the booklet. Then, read the directions printed on the back cover.After you have read them, look up. . . .

Hand each student a booklet individually; do not pass booklets back or acrossaisles. Keep an exact count of the number of test booklets distributed.

If your school is using sort codes to sort score reports, also instructstudents to write the same code they entered in block M of theiranswer folders on the booklets above the school-assigned studentID. This will facilitate returning the booklets along with the sortedscore reports. When everyone has had enough time to write his orher name and read the directions, say:

Raise your hand if you need more time to read the directions. (Allowadditional time if necessary.) Turn your answer folder to page 4. Comparethe test form number from the front of your test booklet to the optionslisted in the block labeled ACT Plan Form on your answer folder. Writethe test form number in the boxes provided and fill in the correspondingoval. . . .

When everyone has recorded this information, say:

We are now ready to begin the testing period. The use of highlight pens,scratch paper, notes, unapproved calculating devices, and foreignlanguage or other dictionaries is not permitted. If you brought acalculator for the Mathematics Test, put it away now. Scratch workshould be done in your test booklet. Only responses marked on youranswer folder during the time allowed for that test will be counted. Ifyou need another pencil during the test, raise your hand.

I (or we, if a proctor has been assigned to your room) will walk aroundthe room during testing to be sure you are working on the right test andare marking your answers in the correct place on your answer folder. Ifyou have a question, raise your hand for assistance rather than lookingaround.

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If you are wearing a watch with an alarm or have any other alarm device,or if you are carrying a cell phone, pager, or other electroniccommunication device, please turn it off now and remove it from yourtesting surface. These devices distract others and are not allowed, andmay be cause for dismissal. I will keep the official time for thisexamination with my timepiece. I will announce when 5 minutes remainon each test to serve as a warning before time is called. It is to youradvantage to answer every question. Are there any questions?

If there are no questions, continue by saying:

The following behaviors are prohibited. You will be asked to turn in yourtest materials and your answer folder will not be scored if you areobserved:

ⓦ looking back at a previous test on which time has already been called.

ⓦ looking ahead in the test booklet.

ⓦ looking at someone else’s test booklet or answer folder.

ⓦ giving or receiving assistance.

ⓦ disturbing other examinees.

ⓦ using headphones (other than by examinees taking ACT Plan via audioDVD under accommodated testing arrangements).

ⓦ using highlight pens, scratch paper, notes, or dictionaries.

ⓦ using a calculator on any test other than the Mathematics Test.

ⓦ sharing a calculator with another examinee.

ⓦ using any device to share or exchange information at any time duringthe tests or during break (all electronic communication devices,including cell phones, must be turned off from the time the examinee isadmitted to test until dismissal after testing concludes).

ⓦ using an unapproved calculating device.

ⓦ attempting to remove test materials, including test questions oranswers, from the test room by any means.

ⓦ filling in ovals after time has been called. Filling in ovals on a previoustest during a later test or filling in ovals even with the test bookletclosed is prohibited.

Are there any questions?

If there are no questions, continue by saying:

Now, on the front cover of your test booklet, read the ExamineeAgreement. . . . Copy the certification in the space provided. Sign andwrite today’s date in the spaces below.

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Answer any questions, then continue by saying:

From this time on, there must be absolutely no talking. Listen carefully tothese instructions and do not open your booklets until I tell you to do so.

You will have 30 minutes to work on Test 1. During this time you are towork only on Test 1. If you finish before time is called, recheck your work,then place your answer folder inside your test booklet and close the testbooklet. Do not go on to the next test.

Set your stopwatch or interval timer to 30 minutes, and then say:

You will have 30 minutes to work on this test. Open your test booklet toTest 1, read the directions carefully, and begin working.

Test 130 Minutes

___________________ ___________________ ___________________ START 5 minutes remaining STOP

As you begin testing, record the Start, Stop, and five-minutes-remaining timesfor Test 1 in this manual. Testing staff should walk around the room andcheck to be sure all students are working on the correct test and marking an-swers appropriately.

Reminder: You may post the Start and Stop times on the board if a clock isvisible to all students in the room; check your calculations carefully beforeyou do so. You will read an announcement when five minutes remain on eachtest. Do not disturb examinees during the test session with additional oral orwritten announcements of time remaining.

Before you announce five minutes remaining and before you call stop, checkyour timepiece carefully against the times you have written down and verifythem with the proctor if one is in the room.

When your watch or timer indicates exactly 25 minutes havepassed and you have checked the time, say:

You have 5 minutes remaining on this test.

When your watch or timer indicates exactly 30 minutes havepassed and you have checked the Stop time, say:

Please stop working. Put your pencil down and look up. . . .

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(Test day questions? Call 877.789.2925.) Test Day Activities

When everyone has stopped work, continue by saying:

You will have 40 minutes to work on Test 2. During this time you are to work onlyon Test 2. If you finish before time is called, recheck your work. Do not go on to thenext test and do not work on the previous test. You may write your calculations inyour test booklet. All problems on the Mathematics Test can be solved withoutusing a calculator. However, you are permitted to use an approved calculator onthis test if you brought one with you. You may get your calculator out now. . . .

You are responsible for knowing if your calculator is acceptable. If you are found tobe using an unauthorized calculator, you will be dismissed and your answer folderwill be voided.

Testing personnel must check all calculators. If you have not already doneso, check calculators at this time. (Refer to page 9 in this manual for specificguidelines and examples.) Then say:

You are responsible for making sure your calculator is working properly. We will notprovide you with backup batteries or a replacement calculator. Do not share yourcalculator with any other examinee. If you need to use your backup calculator, raiseyour hand and we will check it. If you did not bring a backup calculator and yoursmalfunctions, continue testing.

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Set your stopwatch or interval timer to 40 minutes, and say:

You will have 40 minutes to work on this test. Open your booklet andturn to Test 2, read the directions carefully, and begin working.

Test 240 Minutes


Record the Start, Stop, and five-minutes-remaining times for Test 2 on thelines above. Testing staff should walk around the room and check to be surestudents are working on the correct test and marking answers appropriately.




Please stop working. Put your pencil down and look up. Put yourcalculators away now; you will not be permitted to use them on the nexttwo tests.

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You may allow students a short rest period at this time. Instructstudents to place their answer folders inside their booklets andclose the booklets. Students may be allowed to go to the restroom,one at a time, or stand beside their desk for a few minutes. Remindstudents they may not use phones or other electronic devicesduring the break, and may not eat or drink anything in thetest room. Call students to attention after 5–10 minutes and askthem to be seated. Tell them to remove their answer folders fromtheir test booklets. Then continue with the directions in the nextbox.

You will have 20 minutes to work on Test 3. During this time, you are towork only on Test 3. If you finish before time is called, recheck your work,then place your answer folder inside your test booklet and close thebooklet. Do not go on to the next test and do not work on previoustests.

Set your stopwatch or interval timer to 20 minutes, and say:

Open your booklet and turn to Test 3, read the directions carefully, andbegin working.

Test 320 Minutes


Record the Start, Stop, and five-minutes-remaining times for Test 3 on thelines above. Testing staff should walk around the room and check to be surestudents are working on the correct test and marking answers appropriately.




Please stop working. Put your pencil down and look up. . . . You will have 25 minutes to work on Test 4. During this time you are to work only onTest 4. If you finish before time is called, recheck your work, then placeyour answer folder inside your test booklet, and close the test booklet.You may not look back at any other test in the booklet. You must remainquietly in your seats until all answer folders and test booklets arecollected after Test 4. There must be no talking.

42


Set your stopwatch or interval timer to 25 minutes, and then say:

Turn to Test 4, read the directions carefully, and begin working.

Test 425 Minutes


Record the Start, Stop, and five-minutes-remaining times for Test 4 on the lines above.Testing staff should walk around the room and check to be sure students are working onthe correct test and marking answers appropriately.

When your watch or timer indicates exactly 20 minutes have passed andyou have checked the Stop time, say:


When your watch or timer indicates exactly 25 minutes have passed andyou have checked the time, say:

Please stop working. Close your booklet. Read the statement in the lower left-handcorner of your answer folder, then sign—do not print—and date your answer folder.Today’s date is ________________. When you are finished, turn your answer folder sothat page 1 faces up and place it on your desk.

When examinees are finished, say:

I/We will now collect your answer folders. Your test booklets will be picked upindividually; do not pass them in. You may not leave until everything has beenchecked. If you brought a calculator for the Mathematics Test, be sure to take itwith you when you leave. Please remain quietly in your seats.

Collect the answer folders and turn them so that page 1 is folded to the outside. Then,collect the test booklets individually. Do not allow the booklets to be passed to the front,side, or back of the row. You must count the test booklets and answer folders to ver-ify that the number of booklets and answer folders distributed matches the numbercollected before you dismiss the students. If you are short one or more test booklets,match the booklets with the answer folders.

Make certain that students do not have access to the test materials as they leave the room.Under no circumstances should anyone be allowed to examine the test booklets or an-swer folders after they have been returned to the proctor or room supervisor. The roomsession is complete after all test booklets and answer folders have been collected andcounts verified.

43

Post-Test Activities to Be Completed by the Test Supervisor


Checking Answer Folders To ensure that each student’s test results are reported as accurately and quickly aspossible, each room supervisor should assemble and check the answer folders carefully.

Turn all answer folders the same way with the same side up; they need not bealphabetized. Make sure there is one answer folder for each student who took the test. Check the answer folders for the following and correct as necessary:

Are answers marked with a soft-lead pencil? If a student used a pen or marker,use a soft-lead (No. 2) pencil to mark over his or her answer choices. Have all stray marks or doodles been erased? Are all marks neat and dark, filling the answer spaces completely?Is each student’s name printed and gridded properly in block B (if Pre-ID labelhas not been used)? Is all student information requested on page 1—student ID number, date of birth,gender, grade, high school code (if needed), etc.—complete and accurate (if Pre-IDlabel has not been used)? Is the correct test form marked on the top of page 4?

Use the Testing Irregularity Report on page 73 to describe any irregularities thatcould affect students’ scores (see pages 19–21). Forward the report to your testsupervisor with the completed answer folders. Keep used and unused test booklets and other test materials separate.

Accommodation Codes The ACT Plan test supervisor should be certain that, for all students affordedaccommodations for the ACT Plan tests, the primary accommodation/modification codeis gridded in this section of the answer folder (at the top of page 4). The codes are asfollows: 1. Standard print materials with extended time limits (no other assistance) 2. Large-print test booklet with standard time limits 3. Large-print test booklet with extended time limits 4. Oral presentation from audio DVD with extended time limits 5. Oral presentation from reader script only with extended time limits 6. Braille test booklet with extended time limits 7. Scribe to transfer answers to answer folder with standard time limits

44


8. Scribe to transfer answers to answer folder with extended time limits 9. Assistive communication device (e.g., FM audio system) with extended time limits 10. Reserved for future useWhen a code of 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or 9 is gridded, the record will not be included in anyaggregated data (e.g., School Profile Summary Report, Item–Response SummaryReport, College Readiness Standards reports).

Special Status CodesACT offers this mechanism for identifying records of students with particularcharacteristics for Title I or other subgroup analysis. Due to potential sensitivity of somecharacteristics, ACT strongly recommends that you or another school administratormark this information in the shaded box at the top of page 4 of the answer folderafter students have finished testing. The assigned designation of each of these Special Status Codes is as follows: HB – Homebound M – Title I MathSE – Special Education R – Title I ReadingLEP – Limited English Proficiency X – Locally designated FL – Free or reduced lunch Y – Locally designated ME – Migrant Education Program Z – Locally designated

Voiding Tests or Answer FoldersYou may void an individual test by marking the “Void Scoring Codes (VSC)” to theright of the Accommodations Codes at the top of page 4 of the answer folder. Mark “E”to void the English Test, “M” to void the Mathematics Test, “R” to void the ReadingTest, or “S” to void the Science Test. WARNING! If void scoring codes are marked, the corresponding test will NOT bescored! Please be sure the void scoring codes are marked only if you want one ormore tests to be voided. If it is determined that an entire answer folder should not be scored, mark the documentVOID and retain the voided answer folder in the student’s file or your testing files toverify the reason the student is not receiving a score report. Do not return thecompletely voided answer folder to ACT. The student should always be informed if atest or answer folder is voided, and an entry should be made on the Testing IrregularityReport.

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T

45


Completing Your School HeaderYour responses to blocks C and D, Grade Tested and Test Date, will determine theappropriate national norm group for your reports. The cycle code on your ACTPlan Pack/Return Slip may be more than three digits; however, you must only code thefirst three numeric digits in Block E. It is CRITICAL that you correctly enter your three-digit cycle code. Inaccurate entry may adversely affect how quickly your scores arereported, and (if applicable) the manner in which your district- and state-level reports arecreated. Your cycle code is printed in Block B as shown in Figure 1 below on the samplePack/Return Slip.Two School Headers are enclosed with your Test Supervisor’s Packet, in the event youare testing students in more than one grade or scoring group. DO NOT separatedocuments by School Headers if the intention is for all documents to be scored together.One header should be used in such a case, even if multiple packages are sent in (oneSchool Header per scoring group.) If you need additional forms, or if you can’t locate aheader, please call ACT Plan Customer Services at 877.789.2925. Please do notcomplete photocopied header sheets. These cannot be read by ACT’s scoringequipment.The School Header should identify the school where tested students are enrolled. SeeFigure 2 on page 46. Please contact ACT Plan Customer Services if you have questionsabout completing your School Header. (NOTE: Institution Site Code listed on yourPack/Return Slip [Figure 1 below] is the same as your ACT High School Code.)

Figure 1. Pack/Return Slip

McCarrel Distribution Center2727 Scott BlvdIowa City, IA 52243

PLAN Pack/Return SlipShip To #: 33604Ph: 1 555 5555555KATHERINE [email protected] HIGH SCHOOL 100 LINCOLN AVEIOWA CITY, IA 52243, United States

Created by BATCHMANAGER, ACTCustomer PO PLAN CONTRACTShip via UPS GROUND

PACKAGESchdl Ship Date 01-SEP-11

Institution/Site 123456114PLANContract/Cycle

District/Summ

Order Number

Date Printed 15-AUG-12Order Type PLANDelivery No 5108781

Page 1 of 4

For any item that must be returned, please use the space provided for qty and serial numbers(if applicable)

Packing Instructions:

QuantityShipped

Item Description UOM QuantityOrdered

QuantityBack Ordered

Item Number

1 PLAN ANSWER FOLDER EA 1 0

From Serial To Serial Quantity Returned ________ Serial Number __________ to ___________ / ________ to _________

QuantityShipped

Item Description UOM QuantityOrdered

QuantityBack Ordered

Ite

1 PLAN ANSWER FOLDER EA 1 0

From Serial To Serial Qu urned

1013 1013

20 20

BLOCK BBLOCK A

SAMPLE

46


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© 2014 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. 21222 023 024 150 Rev 1IM-174992-411:654321 Printed in U.S.A.

HIGH SCHOOL NAME AND ADDRESS

INSTRUCTIONS

Use a soft lead No. 2 pencil only. Enter the information requested and fill in theappropriate ovals below each box. DO NOT use any type of ink or mechanicalpencil. Erase any errors completely. Place this completed form on the top of your answer folders and return in your first scoring envelope. Refer to your ACT Plan Supervisor’s Manual for detailed instructions for returning materialsfor scoring. Note: Answer folders must be received by ACT by June 12, 2015,to ensure processing.

IMPORTANT

The information on this barcode label affects both score reporting and

invoicing. If this is not the correct information for your school, please

contact ACT Customer Service at 877.789.2925.

High School Name

City State ZIP Code

Test Supervisor’s Name (Please Print)

E-mail Address

Daytime Telephone Number

TEST DATEACT

HIGH SCHOOLCODE

CONTRACT/CYCLECODE

QUANTITYOF ANSWERFOLDERS TOBE SCOREDWITH THISHEADER

DO YOUWANT STUDENTREPORTS IN SORTCODE ORDER?

RESERVEDFOR FUTURE

USE.

RESERVEDFOR FUTURE

USE.

GRADETESTED

(Mark only one.)Month Day Year

Jan.Feb.MarchAprilMayJuneJulyAug.Sept.Oct.Nov.Dec.

8th/below

9th

10th

11th

12th/other

Yes

No

2014–2015 School HeaderACT Plan Scoring Service, 2727 Scott Blvd., PO Box 4026, Iowa City, IA 52243-4026

Block A—High School Name and Address. Enter theinformation requested.

Block B—ACT High School Code. Enter your highschool’s 6-digit ACT code. Check to be sure the ovalsgridded match your School Code exactly.

Block C—Test Date. Enter the month, day, and year ofthe date that you administered the four academic tests.

Block D—Grade Tested. Mark only one GRADE TESTEDfor the answer folders accompanying this header. If morethan one grade was tested, complete a School Headerfor each grade and place it on top of the appropriateanswer folders.

Block E—Contract/Cycle Code. Record your 3-digitContract/Cycle Code. See your packing list for theappropriate code.

Block F—Reserved for Future Use.

Block G—Quantity of Answer Folders to Be Scoredwith This Header. Enter the total quantity of answerfolders submitted with this header (even if in multiplepackages).

Block H—Do You Want Student Reports in Sort CodeOrder? Indicate whether your school used sort codes onBlock M of the student answer folders or on Pre-ID labels.This block must be completed if you want ACT to sortreports by sort code.

Using Your ACT Plan Results is available in Spanish forparents whose primary language is Spanish. Copies ofthe Spanish translation may be downloaded along withother resources at www.act.org/plan/downloads.html.

Figure 2. ACT Plan School Header

SAMPLE

47


Returning Answer Folders for ScoringACT recommends that all answer folders (standard, make-up, and accommodatedtesting) be returned together to ACT immediately after your last testing session. (ACTwill attempt to score all answer documents returned to the scoring center.) STEP 1Used Answer Documents (and headers) →White Tyvek ACT Plan ScoringServices Envelope(s)Contents should be placed in the following order, top to bottom, as illustrated below. ⓦ Make sure that a completed School Header and all its documents are packed togetherin the same envelope. If you do need to split the answer documents within a singlescoring group, do not use an additional header, rather label envelopes 1 of 2, 2 of 2,etc.

ⓦ If testing multiple scoring events, i.e., grade 10 and grade 11, there must be a separateheader for each scoring event.

ⓦ Testing Irregularity Reports should be packaged with attached answer documents.ⓦ The completed School Header should be at the top of documents packed in envelope 1.

Approximately 250 answer documents will fitin each Tyvek envelope.

Figure 3. Packaging ACT Plan Answer Folders for Scoring

Answer Folders

ACT Plan Supervisor’s Comment Form

Testing Irregularity Report(s) (only those reporting defective materials or challenges of test items)

School Header

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Name of school where you are testing

SCHOOL NAMEUse a soft lead No. 2 pencil only.

STUDENT IDNUMBER

Month Day Year

EM-285525-206:654321 Printed in U.S.A.023 028 150 Rev 1

BLast Name First Name MI

NAME

GE H RACE/ETHNICITY BACKGROUND

H1. Indicate if you are of Hispanic or Latino background.

YesNoPrefer not to respond

H2. Indicate your race. Mark all that apply.(Leave blank if none of these apply to you.)

American Indian/Alaska NativeAsianBlack/African AmericanNative Hawaiian/Other Pacific IslanderWhitePrefer not to respond

Female

Male

GENDERDATE OF BIRTH

FD

Start here.

MLISORTCODE

(Optional)

© 2014 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. 21223

N STUDENT INFORMATIONRefer to Instructions for Completing Your ACT Plan Answer Folder for questionsand response choices.

C

2014–2015AnswerFolder

ACT, Inc.—ConfidentialRestricted when data present.

MARKING DIRECTIONS(Use a soft leadNo. 2 pencil only.)

Yes No

1.2.3.4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

\

\ \ \ \

CORRECT MARK:

INCORRECT MARKS:

� �

If you need to update your address information, fill in this oval and enter the correct address information on page 2. Enter only the block (P, Q, R, or S) of youraddress that is being corrected. For example, if only your street address has changed, complete only block P.

PAGE 1

RESERVEDFOR FUTURE

USE.

O

YOUR HIGHSCHOOL CODEComplete only ifyou marked “No”

in block K.

Would you like toreceive information about

educational and financial aidopportunities through ACT’sfree Educational OpportunityService? (See instructions.)

J KCURRENTGRADE INSCHOOL

Yes No

8th/below9th10th11th12th/other

Yes—skipblock L.

No—fill inblock L.

ARE YOUTESTING ATTHE SCHOOLYOU ATTEND?

E-MAIL ADDRESS—If you have an e-mail address, please print it on the lines below (one character per space) including all letters, numbers, and symbols.

71

ACT Plan® Test Supervisor’s Comment Form

School Name Test Date(s)

Room Supervisor School Code

City State

If you have comments or suggestions concerning this manual, ACT’s procedures, or Customer Services, pleasewrite them below and return this form with your answer folders to your Plan test supervisor. Please be as specificas possible when making suggestions for improvement. All comments are reviewed. Do not report testingirregularities on this form. (For Testing Irregularity Report, see page 73.)

(This form may be photocopied as needed.)

73

ACT Plan® Testing Irregularity Report

Room Supervisor Testing Room

Use this form to report any of the testing irregularities described on pages 19–21. Return this completed form toyour school’s testing supervisor. If any portion of a test should be voided due to prohibited behavior, mark theappropriate scoring code on page 4 of the student’s answer folder. See page 20 of this manual for instructions.

Name of Student Explanation of Irregularity

Complete the information below and send a copy of this report to ACT only if any of the following irregularities are reported: 1) defective materials, 2) student challenge of a test item, or 3) mistimings thatcould not be corrected.

School Name School Code

City State Test Date

| ||

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CRITICAL FOR REPORTING NATIONAL NORMS

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© 2014 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved. 21222 023 024 150 Rev 1IM-174992-411:654321 Printed in U.S.A.

HIGH SCHOOL NAME AND ADDRESS

INSTRUCTIONS

Use a soft lead No. 2 pencil only. Enter the information requested and fill in theappropriate ovals below each box. DO NOT use any type of ink or mechanicalpencil. Erase any errors completely. Place this completed form on the top of your answer folders and return in your first scoring envelope. Refer to your ACT Plan Supervisor’s Manual for detailed instructions for returning materialsfor scoring. Note: Answer folders must be received by ACT by June 12, 2015,to ensure processing.

IMPORTANT

The information on this barcode label affects both score reporting and

invoicing. If this is not the correct information for your school, please

contact ACT Customer Service at 877.789.2925.

High School Name

City State ZIP Code

Test Supervisor’s Name (Please Print)

E-mail Address

Daytime Telephone Number

TEST DATEACT

HIGH SCHOOLCODE

CONTRACT/CYCLECODE

QUANTITYOF ANSWERFOLDERS TOBE SCOREDWITH THISHEADER

DO YOUWANT STUDENTREPORTS IN SORTCODE ORDER?

RESERVEDFOR FUTURE

USE.

RESERVEDFOR FUTURE

USE.

GRADETESTED

(Mark only one.)Month Day Year


8th/below

9th

10th

11th

12th/other

Yes

No

2014–2015 School HeaderACT Plan Scoring Service, 2727 Scott Blvd., PO Box 4026, Iowa City, IA 52243-4026

Block A—High School Name and Address. Enter theinformation requested.

Block B—ACT High School Code. Enter your highschool’s 6-digit ACT code. Check to be sure the ovalsgridded match your School Code exactly.

Block C—Test Date. Enter the month, day, and year ofthe date that you administered the four academic tests.

Block D—Grade Tested. Mark only one GRADE TESTEDfor the answer folders accompanying this header. If morethan one grade was tested, complete a School Headerfor each grade and place it on top of the appropriateanswer folders.

Block E—Contract/Cycle Code. Record your 3-digitContract/Cycle Code. See your packing list for theappropriate code.

Block F—Reserved for Future Use.

Block G—Quantity of Answer Folders to Be Scoredwith This Header. Enter the total quantity of answerfolders submitted with this header (even if in multiplepackages).

Block H—Do You Want Student Reports in Sort CodeOrder? Indicate whether your school used sort codes onBlock M of the student answer folders or on Pre-ID labels.This block must be completed if you want ACT to sortreports by sort code.

Using Your ACT Plan Results is available in Spanish forparents whose primary language is Spanish. Copies ofthe Spanish translation may be downloaded along withother resources at www.act.org/plan/downloads.html.

SAMPLE

Used AnswerFolders for

ScoringComment Sheet

School Header

Irregularity Reportand all answer

documents a!ectedby irregularities

–

FROM

School Code No.

This is envelope no. _________ of _________

ACT PLAN SCORING SERVICEACT McCARREL CENTER2727 SCOTT BOULEVARDPO BOX 4026IOWA CITY IA 52243-4026

48


As shown in Figure 3, place your School Header (Figure 2) on top of your stack ofanswer folders in your first envelope. Testing Irregularity Reports and Comment Formsshould be placed immediately below the School Header. If you have tested more thanone grade or scoring event, stack answer folders from each grade separately, completinga School Header for each grade and marking the appropriate circle in block D.The grade on the header determines the national norm group to be used on yourreports. If no grade is marked or if more than one grade is marked on the sameform, ACT will report national Fall 10th-Grade Norms.STEP 2White Tyvek ACT Plan Scoring Services Envelopes→ Plastic Polymailer Bag(s)Preaddressed Authorized Return Service (ARS) labels were attached to each polymailerbag provided for returning used answer documents. The ARS labels are scannable; takecare not to damage or alter them. These labels cannot be photocopied.How many sealed white Tyvek scoring envelopes do you have, in total?ⓦ If you have 2 or less, you will use a single plastic polymailer bag to return allenvelopes to ACT. Place the sealed envelopes into a plastic polymailer bag.

ⓦ If you have more than 2 envelopes, you will need to use two or more plasticpolymailer bags to return the envelopes to ACT.

After you have filled the polymailer bags with all Tyvek scoring envelopes:ⓦ If you have any extra plastic polymailer bags, insert them into one of the bags beingreturned to ACT. Do the same for any extra envelopes.

ⓦ Seal the plastic polymailer bag(s).ⓦ Complete the “Polymailer __ of __” information requested on the outside of theplastic polymailer bag(s). For example, if you had 2 bags, the first bag would say“Polymailer 1 of 2” and the second bag, “Polymailer 2 of 2.”

NOTE: You will need to use a permanent marker to write on the bags and envelopes.

Figure 4. Packaging Answer Folders into Plastic Polymailer Bags

ROUGHLY 250 ANSWERFOLDERS PER ENVELOPE

–

FROM

School Code No.


ACT PLAN SCORING SERVICEACT McCARREL CENTER2727 SCOTT BOULEVARDPO BOX 4026IOWA CITY IA 52243-4026

PLASTIC POLYMAILER BAG(S) =MAXIMUM OF 2 SCORING ENVELOPES PER BAG

AC

T P

lan

®

–

FROM

School Code No.


Contents:ⓦ School Header (1st envelope only)ⓦ Irregularity Reports and attached documents(1st envelope only)

ⓦ Comment Sheetsⓦ Used Answer Folders for scoring

49


Result: You should have one or more plastic polymailer bags sealed and ready for returnto ACT, containing the white Tyvek ACT Scoring Service envelope(s) and any extraplastic polymailer bags and Tyvek envelopes. To facilitate quick turnaround of scorereports, it is critical that you return all used answer documents in the polymailer bags.If you are submitting a large number of answer folders for scoring, you may wish to usea single carton to ensure that all materials arrive at the ACT scoring center together,using the ARS label provided with your material shipment. If you are shipping more than one parcel, number the boxes in sequence—for example,1 of x, 2 of x, etc., where x is the total number of ACT Plan parcels. If you wish to haveanswer folders returned to ACT in multiple parcels scored and reported together, do notinclude a School Header in each parcel. Place your School Header in the first parcelonly. Answer folders separated by School Headers will be scored and reportedseparately.If you would like to track your shipment back to ACT, write down the tracking numberon the ARS label.Authorized Return ServiceIf the carrier on your ARS label regularly picks up or delivers packages at a supervisedarea at your school, place the sealed packages there. A supervised mailroom or centraloffice is acceptable.The next time the carrier stops at your location, the driver will pick up the packages. DoNOT call to arrange pickup; you may incur a service charge that cannot be paid by ACT.If your normal pick-up area is not supervised, or you do not have regular pickup at yourschool (at least every other day), ACT requests that you take your sealed packages to anystaffed site that provides drop-off service. As long as ARS labels are clearly visible, thesite will accept the packages for shipment without additional paperwork. Please make arecord of where and when you dropped the packages for shipment. Do not leavepackages at an unattended drop-off location.Disposition of Other Testing MaterialsKeep voided answer folders for your records or destroy them. DO NOT RETURNVOIDED ANSWER FOLDERS TO ACT. Destroy unused answer folders, as theycannot be used next year.Used test booklets should be securely stored and returned to students with theirACT Plan score reports. Each student should receive the booklet he/she used fortesting.You may securely store unused test booklets and provide them to staff for referencewhen reviewing the item-response data in your reporting. ACT will provide one testbooklet with your reporting order. Securely discard unused test booklets at the end ofthe year. Test forms are scored by ACT only during the school year in which they aredistributed.All other materials (Instructions for Completing Your Answer Folder, unused answer folders,accommodated testing materials [such as audio DVDs and Reader Script], etc.) shouldbe destroyed. You may wish to keep your test room rosters or sign-up sheets until youare certain that score reports for all students tested have been received. We ask that youreturn Braille test forms after you have reviewed the test results with your students.

50


Scoring and Reporting Deadlines

ACT Plan answer folders must arrive at ACT by the date listed in the instructions boxon the School Header in order to be scored. Contract Reporting deadlines may varyand customers who are participating in a contract should check their contract-specific deadlines for return of answer documents.Students whose answer folders are scored through December will be available for theACT Plan Educational Opportunity Service (EOS) in January. Students whose answerfolders are scored after December, and before May, will be available for ACT Plan EOSin May.

Additional ResourcesYou will find these resources on the following pages:ⓦ Procedures Checklist, for your reference (page 69)ⓦ Test Supervisor’s Comment Form (page 71)ⓦ Testing Irregularity Report (page 73)Copy and use these materials as needed.

51

Test Results: What They Tell You

Test Results:What They Tell YouTest Scores

Four test scores (English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science), two subscores for theEnglish Test (Usage/Mechanics and Rhetorical Skills), two subscores for the MathematicsTest (Pre-Algebra/Algebra, and Geometry), and a Composite score (the average of thefour test scale scores, rounded to an integer) are reported for the ACT Plan tests. For each of the four ACT Plan tests, the number of questions answered correctly iscounted to obtain a raw score, which is then converted to a scale score. Scale scores forthe four tests and the Composite range from a low of 1 to a high of 32. Because no testcan measure educational development with absolute precision, each ACT Plan scoreshould be thought of as a range, rather than a precise point. For example, a score of 16on one of the four tests means that the student’s level of educational development in thesubject is probably somewhere from a 14 to 18 (16 plus or minus 2). For the CompositeScore, the range is plus or minus 1.ACT Explore and ACT Plan use a common score scale. This relationship means thatstudents would be expected to receive the same score on ACT Explore and ACT Plan ifthey took both test batteries on the same day. When you compare students’ ACT Explorescores (most often from grade 8 or 9) to their ACT Plan scores (most often from grade 10),you can interpret an increase directly and confidently as academic growth, allowing forsome amount of measurement error, as described in the ACT Plan Technical Manual atwww.act.org/plan under Resources and reported for grade 10 in Figure 5 on page 52 ofthis manual. Although the tests are on a common scale, there are some differences. ACTPlan is more difficult than ACT Explore in order to assess the greater academicdevelopment that may be expected of 10th graders. This is reflected in the different scoreranges of the two test batteries. The maximum score allowed on ACT Explore is 25,whereas ACT Plan test takers may score as high as 32. Also, even though ACT Explore and ACT Plan are on a common scale, and ACT Planand the ACT are on a common scale, it cannot be stated that ACT Explore and the ACTare on a common scale. The sameness of the scales holds only for adjacent batteries;ACT Explore and the ACT are too disparate in subject matter and difficulty (8th gradeversus 12th grade) for the same-scale property to extend from ACT Explore to the ACT.The four ACT Plan subscores, two in English and two in Mathematics, are reported on ascale ranging from 1 to 16. These subscores have been scaled independently from theirrespective tests, so, for example, the sum of the English subscores will not necessarilyequal the English scale score. Neither are the ACT Explore subscores on the same scaleas ACT Plan subscores.It is possible for an examinee who answers all of the items correctly on a particular testto receive a scale score of less than 32 for that test. If an all-correct raw score were forcedto equal a scale score of 32, then a 32 on new ACT Plan forms might reflect a differentlevel of achievement than a score of 32 on earlier ACT Plan forms. ACT Plan scores mustbe as comparable as possible from year to year so that they can accurately reflect how theoverall achievement levels of schools, school districts, and various population groups ofstudents vary from year to year.It is important to note that while test scores can be compared across different years,within any one year only one form is used. Therefore, if the maximum score on a test isless than 32, it is less than 32 for all examinees who test within that same year.

52


To provide maximum continuity, the results for ACT Plan and the ACT are reported on acommon score scale with a range of 1–32 for ACT Plan and a range of 1–36 for the ACT.Each ACT Plan test score is interpretable as the ACT test score that a student would beexpected to achieve if that student had taken the ACT at the time of ACT Plan testing.No relationship is intended between ACT Plan and ACT subscores.ACT Plan forms are equated through special studies so that scores can be interpretedand compared regardless of the form administered.Selected technical characteristics of the ACT Plan tests are given in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Technical Characteristics

College Readiness Benchmark ScoresACT has identified scores for each of the four ACT Plan tests—English, Mathematics,Reading, and Science—that indicate students’ probable readiness for college-level workby the time they graduate from high school. This information (Figure 6) can be used tohelp students improve their academic readiness for college-level work.

Figure 6. College Readiness Benchmark Scores for ACT Plan

Tenth-grade students now scoring at or above the ACT Plan English benchmark score(15) are likely on track to develop the skills necessary to succeed in a college Englishcomposition course; those scoring at or above the ACT Plan Mathematics benchmark score (19) similarly are likely on track to develop the skills necessary to succeed in anentry-level college algebra course; and those scoring at or above the ACT Plan Sciencebenchmark score (20) are likely on track to develop the skills necessary to succeed in anintroductory college-level biology course. Students scoring at or above the ACT PlanReading benchmark score (18) are likely on track to develop the skills necessary tosucceed in college social science courses. This predictability assumes the student willcontinue to demonstrate the same level of academic achievement that has beenexhibited up to this point. College Readiness Benchmark Scores are also available forACT Explore and the ACT.

Estimated Reliabilities for Fall 10th Graders

Estimated Standard Error of Measurement for Fall 10th Graders

ⓦ English: .87; Mathematics: .80;Reading: .85; and Science: .82

ⓦ English: 1.59; Mathematics: 2.08;Reading: 1.85; and Science: 1.64

ⓦ Usage/Mechanics: .84; Rhetorical Skills: .72

ⓦ Usage/Mechanics: 1.14; Rhetorical Skills: 1.62

ⓦ Composite Score: .95 ⓦ Composite Score: 0.90

TestGrade 10 Benchmark Scores

Grade 11Benchmark Scores

English 15 18

Mathematics 19 22

Reading 18 22

Science 20 23

53


College Readiness Benchmark Scores are based on the actual performance of ACT-tested students in first-year college courses (English Composition, College Algebra,Social Science courses, and College Biology). ACT College Readiness BenchmarkScores were established to correspond to a 50 percent likelihood that students wouldachieve a grade of B or better in these courses. Then, ACT Explore and ACT PlanCollege Readiness Benchmark Scores were identified at grades 8, 9, 10, and 11 thatreflected a strong likelihood that students would meet the ACT benchmark scores by thetime they graduated from high school.

NormsNational NormsA good way to interpret performance on ACT Plan is to compare your students’ scoresto those of a national norming group. Visit www.act.org/plan/norms for informationon how to use ACT Plan norms to interpret test scores. Local comparisons to the national norm group are most appropriate when ACT Plan isadministered under conditions similar to those in the norming study—with all four testsadministered in a single session in the standard order, and students having calculatorsavailable for use on the Mathematics Test.Examinees below 10th grade, and 10th-grade students whose test date is between August 15 and January 31, will receive Fall 10th-Grade Norms. Tenth graders whose testdate is between February 1 and June 1 will receive Spring 10th-Grade Norms.Examinees in 11th grade or above will receive Fall 11th-Grade Norms on their studentreports.State Norms State norms are reported only when specified by contract.District Norms District norms are provided as part of the ACT Plan Reporting Package (pages 57–58);they are included on the Data File CD. District norms are calculated for customers whoidentify themselves as a district, even when there is only a single school (or scoringgroup) in the district. These norms reflect the results of current year tested students in allschools affiliated with that district.School Norms School norms are also part of the ACT Plan Reporting Package (pages 57–58); theyappear on the Student Score Reports and the Student List Report, and are included onthe Data File CD. School norms reflect the results of current year tested students at theschool.

54


Student Information SectionsIn addition to measuring academic achievement, ACT Plan provides critical informationfor helping students improve their skills, explore careers, and build rigorous high schoolcourse plans. By completing the student information sections of ACT Plan, your studentswill receive valuable information to enhance the career and educational planningprocess.Student Demographic InformationThe student information section of the answer folder collects basic demographicinformation about each student who takes ACT Plan: ⓦ Nameⓦ Student ID numberⓦ Birth dateⓦ Genderⓦ Current grade in schoolⓦ Race/ethnicity backgroundThe student’s name, ID, and birth date help you match your school records and helpACT in matching the student’s ACT Plan scores to other ACT tests (ACT Explore andthe ACT). Gender, current grade, and race/ethnicity background are necessary toprovide complete information for your school summary reports. Needs AssessmentA brief Needs Assessment gives students an opportunity to indicate a need for assistance inseven selected academic areas and enabling skills. Students are asked to indicatewhether they need additional help in the following areas:ⓦ Making plans for their education, careers, and jobs after high schoolⓦ Improving writing skillsⓦ Improving reading speed or comprehensionⓦ Improving study skillsⓦ Improving mathematical skillsⓦ Improving computer skillsⓦ Improving public speaking skillsPlans and BackgroundThe Plans and Background section asks students about the following:ⓦ Language the student knows bestⓦ High school program of studyⓦ High school coursework plans in five subject areasⓦ Participation in accelerated, honors, or outreach programsⓦ Parents’ highest levels of educationⓦ Educational and career plans after high schoolWhen indicating career plans, students are asked to examine a list of twenty-six careerareas and sample occupations and select the area that best represents their currentinterests. These career areas are shown in Figure 8a on page 61.The information from this section helps guide students in discussions about futureeducational and career plans.

55


Local Supplemental ItemsThe ACT Plan answer folder facilitates collection of student responses to as many astwelve supplemental items developed by your school or district. Questions for thissection might cover topics such as the number of hours spent studying, watchingtelevision, or working each day or week; interest in vocational/technical courses; andstudent opinions about various aspects of the school environment. Questions must bedesigned to collect only one response per question. The school version of the ACT PlanProfile Summary Report includes a table summarizing student responses by itemnumber and response option.UNIACT Interest InventoryAs career choices become more complex, one of the most difficult challenges facingstudents today is the identification of career options compatible with their personal goalsand interests. Making informed choices requires both a panoramic view of the workworld and a way to focus career exploration within that world. The Unisex Edition ofthe ACT Interest Inventory (UNIACT) provides a focus for exploring career options bypointing to areas of the world of work that are compatible with the student’s interests. UNIACT consists of 72 items organized into six scales. The six scales measure careerinterests that parallel the well-known career typology of John Holland (1997). Results areexpressed on the Student Score Report as regions of the World-of-Work Map, ACT’sunique interpretive tool that summarizes all occupations in the work world. UNIACTresults are located in the Your Career Possibilities section of the Student Score Report(see Figure 8a on page 61). The ACT Plan booklet Interpretive Guide for Student and School Reports provides details oninterpreting UNIACT results. Refer to that booklet for information on UNIACT scores,options for students without UNIACT results, the World-of-Work Map, and suggestionsfor interpreting UNIACT results. Technical information is found in the ACT InterestInventory Technical Manual (ACT, 2009).

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High School Course InformationThe Course Information section of the ACT Plan answer folder collects informationabout the core courses students have taken and plan to take before completing highschool. Descriptors of courses that constitute the typical high school core curriculum areincluded to help students relate each of the 30 courses listed to courses offered in theirown schools.This kind of information is useful to school counselors, faculty, and administrators. Ifstudents are not taking or planning to take the specific courses appropriate to theircareer area of interest, counselors can guide them into courses that will best preparethem for further training or allow them to get relevant experience in a particularoccupational area. For teachers, curriculum coordinators, and administrators, the courseinformation can be used in conjunction with ACT Plan scores and ACT scores to studythe relationship between the curriculum and student performance on these tests.Plan Educational Opportunity Service (EOS)The ACT Plan Educational Opportunity Service (EOS) is a free college and scholarshipinformation service for students who take ACT Plan. EOS enables students to receiveimportant information about educational, scholarship, career, and financial aidopportunities from colleges, scholarship organizations, ACT, and governmental educationagencies who may want to send information to students with special characteristics (e.g.,those who live in a particular state, who express a particular career preference, or whoseACT Plan scores fall in a given range). By responding “yes” to the question in block I on page 1 of their ACT Plan answerfolder, students authorize ACT to release information—name, mailing address, e-mailaddress, gender, date of birth, race/ethnicity background, high school, grade in school,and career choice—to colleges and organizations offering programs that the student maybe interested in exploring. All organizations that receive this information have agreed touse it only for this purpose. Names are not provided to the military or for anycommercial purpose. (Note: School ID and test scores are not reported throughEOS.)

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ACT Plan Reports and Data Services

Reporting PackageThe ACT Plan Reporting Package includes the following reports:Student Score Report. Two copies for each student will be provided to your school.See Figures 8a and 8b on pages 61–62 for more details about the information providedin this report.Student Score Labels. Student score labels (Figure 7) are self-adhesive labels to beaffixed to a student’s permanent record. Two copies of each student score label will beprovided to your school.

Figure 7. Student Score Label

Student List Report. The Student List Report is an alphabetical listing of all students testedshowing, by student, the test scores, national percentile ranks, estimated ACT Compositescore range, career and educational plans, and coursework plans in selected subject areas.School/District Profile Summary Reports. Every school testing with ACT Plan willreceive a School Profile Summary Report, featuring the following information:ⓦ Comparison of your students’ performance with national norm groups’ performanceⓦ Detailed presentation of ACT Plan performance in each of the four test areas andsubscore areas

ⓦ Score range summary table linked to the College Readiness Standardswww.act.org/standard

ⓦ Breakdown of ACT Plan performance by gender and race/ethnicity backgroundⓦ Summary of current career plans, self-reported needs for help, and educationalaspirations of your students

ⓦ Summary of locally-developed itemsDistricts ordering ACT Plan for their schools will also receive a District Profile SummaryReport of the above information, with district-wide results based on the aggregated datafrom all affiliated schools.Early Intervention Rosters. Four lists identifying students from your school under thefollowing categories:ⓦ Do not plan to complete high school or have no post-high school educational plansⓦ Earned a ACT Plan Composite Score of 16 or higher, but reported they have no plansto attend college

ⓦ Reported that they plan to attend college, but earned a ACT Plan Composite Score of15 or lower, or do not plan to take college core coursework

ⓦ Expressed a need for help in one or more selected areasPresentation Packet. The Presentation Packet includes full-page, black-and-white chartsdisplaying aggregated ACT Plan results presented in the School Profile SummaryReport, plus a picture of three-year trends in average ACT Plan scores. Item-Response Summary Report. Provides tables describing the item-by-itemperformance of your ACT Plan examinees. Item-response results are categorized bytest (e.g., English), by subscore (e.g., Usage/Mechanics), and by content area (e.g., Punctuation) and provide comparisons to other students taking the same test form.

TAYLOR ANN C 123457 NAME OF STUDENT

ENG MATH READ SCI COMP

NATIONAL SCORES

SCHOOL %ILE

27 32 30 32 3099 100 99 100 99

TEST DATE 10/09/2014

ENGLISH SUBSCORES MATH SUBSCORES

15 13U/M RS

16 16ALG GEOM

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It is important to note that your Profile Summary and Item-Response SummaryReports (both school- and district-level) will not include data for students who testedwith extended time or students without a valid composite score (i.e., those studentswho did not take one or more of the tests or who had one or more tests voided).Research Data File. Files are delivered on CD in fixed length and comma-separatedformats to provide flexibility for local use. This service provides complete ACT Plandata for every student tested in your school or district, enabling you to:ⓦ Import relevant ACT Plan data into your local student databaseⓦ Develop a customized ACT Plan database to address specific issues and concernsⓦ Extend or expand the analyses offered through other ACT Plan servicesⓦ Develop a multiyear ACT Plan database for studying trends in your school/districtPlan Data Encrypted. Your ACT Plan student-level data file will be encrypted forenhanced security purposes. The decryption key will be provided in a separatecommunication from ACT. If you have questions regarding how to decrypt your fileonce you have received the decryption key, please contact ACT Plan Customer Servicesat 877.789.2925.School and District Norms. The ACT Plan Reporting Package automatically includes schoolnorms on the Student Score Reports and the Data File CD (see above). When a district orders theACT Plan Reporting Package, both school and district norms will also be included on the Data FileCD; district norms will not appear on Student Score Reports.School norms—and by extension, aggregate district norms—will be calculated at reporttime and will include all available test records.Reporting for Multiple GradesSchools/districts that test multiple grades will receive aggregate reports for at least onegrade (the grade with the highest n-count). In addition, they will receive aggregatereports for any grades with 25 or more students, at no additional cost. Aggregate reportsfor grades where the n-count is less than 25 will be available for an additional feethrough the optional reporting service. It is highly recommended that schools return allanswer folders in a single scoring event together in a single shipment.

Optional Reporting ServicesTo learn more about these services or to place an order for them, please call ACT PlanCustomer Services at 877.789.2925.Customized Profile Summary ReportAllows you to select the subgroup of students for which the report will be prepared. Cus-tomized reports can be useful in examining the performance of specific groups of students.Select subgroups using any information included in the ACT Plan student record, such asgender, race/ethnicity background, educational plans, or No Child Left Behind categories.Linkage ReportsACT has developed linkage reports to assist you in evaluating student academicdevelopment and progress as they move through ACT Explore, ACT Plan and the ACT.These reports are based on a process of matching ACT Explore and ACT Plan studentrecords and analyzing the changes in student performance between grade 8 or 9 andgrade 10. The match process between ACT Plan and ACT records allows analysis ofchanges between grade 10 and graduating seniors. Local changes are compared to thoseof a reference group of students nationally.Matching of records is facilitated primarily by the use of local student ID, name, and dateof birth fields. Attention to this aspect of your ACT Explore and ACT Planadministrations will ensure your eligibility for these reports and maximize the benefityour school or district can receive from your linkage reports.Order forms for eligible schools are mailed in early spring for ACT Explore/ACT Planand mid-fall for ACT Plan/ACT. For questions regarding eligibility, please call ACT PlanCustomer Services at 877.789.2925.

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Discussing ACT Plan Results With Students and Parents

One of the most critical aspects of assessment is interpreting the results. The integratedresults offer a rich resource to the teacher, the student, and the parent in exploring andplanning for the future. Using Your ACT Plan Results introduces the wealth of informationpresented on the ACT Plan Score Report.The following ideas for interpreting and discussing ACT Plan results are presented inrelation to the various components of the program. These ideas are intended tostimulate thinking and discussion about each area of assessment results, but, moreimportantly, to encourage the integrated review of the results. See a Sample ACT PlanScore Report in Figures 8a and 8b on pages 61–62.

Student Score ReportYour ScoresThe four tests provide a snapshot of student academic skills and knowledge in English,mathematics, reading, and science. The scale scores and norms (cumulative percentiles)for each test, the subscores, and the Composite can be used to evaluate a student’sgeneral knowledge in each area and determine how the student compares to other ACTPlan-tested students.Subscores from the English Test and the Mathematics Test can help the teachers andstudents grasp more fully the student’s specific areas of strength and weakness. Testresults can be used to guide individual coursework plans and to direct attention to areasthat need more focus.CUMULATIVE PERCENTSThe column labeled “In the U.S.” shows how students’ scores compared with those ofstudents in the appropriate national norm group. (Visit www.act.org/plan/norms for adescription of these norm groups.) The columns labeled “In Your School” and “In YourState” show how students’ scores compare to those of students in their own school orstate. State norms are reported only when specified by contract. The norms reportedhere are defined as the percent of students in the comparison group (national, school, orstate) who received a given score or lower.COLLEGE READINESS STANDARDSWhat do the test scores on ACT Plan mean? What does the student know and what ishe or she able to do? College and Career Readiness Standards help answer thesequestions by describing the types of skills and knowledge typically demonstrated bystudents who score in particular score ranges on each test of ACT Plan.The ACT Plan College and Career Readiness Standards are sets of statements thatrepresent widely held learning goals or expectations of what students should havelearned up to 10th grade. These goals are important for success in high school andbeyond. The Standards show how skills can progress, becoming increasinglysophisticated from score range to score range. College and Career Readiness Standardsare provided for five score ranges (13–15, 16–19, 20–23, 24–27, and 28–32) in the fouracademic areas measured by ACT Plan: English, mathematics, reading, and science. TheCollege and Career Readiness Standards can be found at www.act.org/standard.It is important to acknowledge that ACT Plan does not measure everything studentshave learned thus far, nor does any particular test measure everything necessary forstudents to know to be successful in their remaining high school experience. ACT Planincludes questions from skill domains and areas of knowledge that have been judgedimportant for success in high school and beyond. Thus, the College and CareerReadiness Standards should be interpreted in a responsible way that will help studentsunderstand what they need to know and do if they are going to make a success of highschool and postsecondary education.

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OTHER CONSIDERATIONSWhen evaluating the results of any of the tests, teachers will want to determine whetherscores are consistent with the student’s performance in class and with his or her GPA. Inthe case of discrepancies (for example, where the student performs well in class but notwell on the tests), it may be valuable to determine whether the student has difficultytaking standardized tests. An examination of the fit of the tests’ content relative to thecurricular objectives of the student’s classes also may be helpful.In looking at the overall profile, it is often possible to see that a student performs well insome areas and not as well in others. Some students, for example, will score better onthe English and Reading Tests and less well on the Mathematics and Science Tests, asindicated by their standings relative to the national norms. A review of the student’scoursework plans and career and educational plans will help identify what the studentplans to do. It will be the teacher’s role to help the student strengthen those weakerareas in ways appropriate to the student’s needs and plans.ESTIMATED ACT COMPOSITE SCORE RANGEBased on the ACT Plan Composite score reported, this is the range within which thestudent’s ACT Composite score would be expected to fall if he or she takes the ACT as a 12th grader. The ACT is very similar in content and format to ACT Plan, but is more difficult thanACT Plan, as it includes materials appropriate to higher grade levels. Therefore, the ACTComposite score scale (1–36) extends higher than the ACT Plan Composite score scale(1–32).Estimated ACT Composite score ranges depend on when the examinee takes ACT Plan,and on the assumption that he or she will take the ACT during the fall of 12th grade.The ACT Composite score range for each ACT Plan Composite score includesapproximately the middle 75 percent of the ACT Composite scores actually earned bystudents with that ACT Plan Composite score. The Estimated ACT Composite tablescan be found at www.act.org/plan/norms.Estimated ACT Composite score ranges can be used to explore options forpostsecondary education. Just below the Estimated ACT Composite Score Range, theACT Plan Score Report also shows the typical achievement levels, represented by ACTComposite scores, of students enrolling in colleges with various admission standards.Students can compare their estimated ACT Composite score range with the rangesshown to help them consider which colleges may be best suited to their expectedacademic preparation.Both ACT Plan and the ACT are curriculum-based testing programs. This is one reasonwe expect that some students will fall short of or improve upon their estimated ACTComposite scores ranges. Students should be reminded that the ACT Composite scorerange is an estimate, not a guarantee. If students do not maintain good academic workin school, their actual ACT Composite scores may fall short of their estimated scoreranges. The converse is also true: some students who improve their academicperformance may earn ACT Composite scores higher than their estimated score ranges.Your PlansYOUR HIGH SCHOOL COURSE PLANS COMPARED TO COREThis section compares courses the student has taken and plans to take to a set of corecourses (four years of English and three years each of mathematics, social studies, andscience), recommended by ACT as the minimum for students to be prepared for entry-level college courses or work training. Students who take the recommended corecurriculum are generally better prepared for college-level courses or work training thanstudents who do not take core.

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Figure 8a. ACT Plan Student Score Report (Side 1)

Your Score Report

Your

Sco

res

More Info atwww.planstudent.org

Your

Pla

ns

Your Career Possibilities

Your reportedneeds

Your High School Course PlansCompared to Core

Core means minimum number of high school courses recommended to prepare for college.

College Readiness

Students scoring at or above these benchmark scores, and taking college prep courses throughout high school, will likely be ready

Admission Standards

Colleges differ in their admission standards. For example, most students in “selective” colleges have ACT Composite scores in the range of 21 to 26. Some admitted students may have scores outside the range.

Your Educational Plans forAfter High School

Your Career Area Preference

See Using Your ACT Plan Results.

Your Estimated ACTComposite Score Range

Use this score range to help plan for college.

Percent of students scoring at or below your score

Composite Score

English

Usage/Mechanics (1–16)

Rhetorical Skills (1–16)

Mathematics

Pre-Alg./Algebra (1–16)

Geometry (1–16)

Reading

Science

A. Employment-Related ServicesHuman Resources Manager; Recruiter; Interviewer

B. Marketing & SalesAgents (Insurance, Real Estate, etc.); Retail Salesworker

C. ManagementExecutive; Office Manager; Hotel/Motel Manager

D. Regulation & ProtectionFood Inspector; Police Officer; Detective

E. Communications & RecordsSecretary; Court Reporter; Office Clerk

F. Financial TransactionsAccountant; Bank Teller; Budget Analyst

G. Distribution & DispatchingWarehouse Supervisor; Air Traffic Controller

H. Transport Operation & RelatedTruck/Bus/Cab Drivers; Ship Captain; Pilot

I. Agriculture, Forestry & RelatedFarmer; Nursery Manager; Forester

J. Computer & Information SpecialtiesProgrammer; Systems Analyst; Desktop Publisher; Actuary

K. Construction & MaintenanceCarpenter; Electrician; Bricklayer

L. Crafts & RelatedCabinetmaker; Tailor; Chef/Cook; Jeweler

M. Manufacturing & ProcessingTool & Die Maker; Machinist; Welder; Dry Cleaner

N. Mechanical & Electrical SpecialtiesAuto Mechanic; Aircraft Mechanic; Office Machine Repairer

Admission Standard

OpenTraditionalSelective

Highly Selective

Typical Scores

16–2118–2421–2625–30

0 1 2 3 4 5+ Years Year Years Years Years Years

English

Mathematics

Social Studies

Science

English

Mathematics

Reading

Science

Your score is:You:Core:

You:Core:

You:Core:

You:Core:

• Making plans for my education, career, and work after high school

• Improving my writing skills• Improving my reading speed and comprehension

• Improving my study skills• Improving my mathematical skills

• Improving my computer skills• Improving my public speaking skills

STEP 1: You and the World of Work STEP 2: Your Interests STEP 3: Exploring Career Options

Career Area ListWorld-of-Work Map

023 046 150 Rev 1 21336 © 2014 by ACT, Inc. All rights reserved.

Information forCounselors

O. Engineering & TechnologiesEngineers (Civil, etc.); Technicians (Laser, etc.); Architect

P. Natural Science & TechnologiesPhysicist; Biologist; Chemist; Statistician

Q. Medical Technologies (also see Area W) Pharmacist; Optician; Dietitian; Technologists (Surgical, etc.)

R. Medical Diagnosis & Treatment (also see Area W) Physician; Pathologist; Dentist; Veterinarian; Nurse Anesthetist

S. Social ScienceSociologist; Political Scientist; Economist; Urban Planner

T. Applied Arts (Visual)Artist; Illustrator; Photographer; Interior Designer

U. Creative & Performing ArtsWriter; Musician; Singer; Dancer; TV/Movie Director

V. Applied Arts (Written & Spoken)Reporter; Columnist; Editor; Librarian

W. Health Care (also see Areas Q and R)Recreational Therapist; Dental Assistant; Licensed Practical Nurse

X. EducationAdministrator; Athletic Coach; Teacher

Y. Community ServicesSocial Worker; Lawyer; Paralegal; Counselor; Clergy

Z. Personal ServicesWaiter/Waitress; Barber; Cosmetologist; Travel Guide

ScoreRange(1–32) ACT, Inc.—Confidential Restricted when data present

15

19

18

20

18

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Your Skills More Info at www.planstudent.org

Engl

ish

Mat

hem

atic

sRe

adin

gSc

ienc

eAsk for your test booklet so you can review the questions and your answers.“+” = correct answer, “o” = no response, “*” = marked more than one answer Suggestions for improving your skills are based on your scores.

SUBSCORE AREA(u = Usage; r = Rhetorical Skills)

To improve your skills you can:Content Areas

SUBSCORE AREA(a = Algebra; g = Geometry)




Figure 8b. ACT Plan Student Score Report (Side 2)

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Suggestions for Improving SkillsSide 2 of the Student Score Report (Figure 8b, page 62) provides students withdescriptions of the skills and knowledge they have most likely already developed andwith practical ideas for building their skills and knowledge further.For each content area on the tests, the report gives descriptions (based on the ACTCollege and Career Readiness Standards) of what the student most likely knows and isable to do, based on the test scores the student attained.Similarly, the report offers suggested learning experiences (based on the ideas forprogress associated with the College and Career Readiness Standards) that are designedto help students strengthen their skills and understanding in each subject area. Theselearning experiences also are based on the individual student’s test scores.Students are encouraged to discuss the suggested learning experiences referenced inUsing Your ACT Plan Results and www.planstudent.org with their teachers, counselors,and parents, in the interest of getting the most out of their courses and reaching the goalof being “college ready.”Some of the ideas for academic improvement offered on the report suggest individualactivities, such as editing an essay. Other ideas suggest that students discuss readings andconcepts with others. All the ideas offered are intended to stimulate learning in, andfurther exploration of, the content areas. In discussing the ideas with your students andwith parents, you may wish to ask the student which ideas seem best to him or her, orwhether the student has alternative ideas to suggest. You might emphasize some ideasover others, propose your own related ideas, or make specific suggestions of readings,activities, and other learning opportunities, based on your personal knowledge of thestudent.

Coursework PlannerThe Coursework Planner in Using Your ACT Plan Results helps students organize theinformation they need to begin to select courses for next year. This activity leads togeneral course recommendations and encourages students to seek information from your school on courses required for graduation and courses that will prepare them forcollege. The activities in the Coursework Planner generate a preliminary list of courses,while helping students see the relationships between course plans and general careerplans. Your students may develop a greater sense of responsibility for makingeducational decisions if information gathered via the Coursework Planner is consideredduring course scheduling. A sample Coursework Planner and a blank form are providedon pages 67 and 68.To begin the Planner, students are asked to select two or three preferred Career Areas.These selections flag a list of high school course subject areas related to those careerareas. Subsequent steps ask the students to list core courses that will prepare them forcollege, as well as courses required for high school graduation. The worksheet providesspace for students to develop a preliminary set of course plans from these differentsources of information. Students are encouraged to seek the help of a counselor orteacher to complete the Planner.

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To help students complete the Coursework Planner worksheet, provide them with the following:ⓦ A list of local courses that satisfy college admission requirementsⓦ A list of local courses that satisfy high school graduation requirementsⓦ Any information available about technical or “tech prep” courses offered by yourschool, and their program requirements

This information will be particularly helpful if the courses are organized into the subjectareas shown on the Coursework Planner worksheet.As they complete the Planner, students should consider their academic strengths andweaknesses. Additionally, students can identify and explore specific occupations atwww.planstudent.org for information (work tasks, entry requirements, salaries, growth, etc.) on more than 500 occupations. Occupations are organized by career area to facilitate exploration.Students typically know very little about most occupations and are often surprised bywhat they learn. Following individual career exploration at www.planstudent.org andother resources, students can benefit from group discussions in which they share whatthey’ve learned about occupations they’ve explored.Counselors should consider whether a student’s course plans seem appropriate in lightof other ACT Plan information. Is the student with a high Mathematics Test score andInterest Inventory results in Region 8 (mathematician, chemist, etc.) planning to takeupper-level mathematics courses? Is the student with a high English Test score andInterest Inventory results in Region 11 (journalist, editor, etc.) considering additionalEnglish courses? ACT Plan facilitates exploration of educational options by helpingstudents identify tentative goals and focusing attention on the steps necessary to achievethem.

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Local Courses to Be Reported on ACT Plan Course/Grade Information

Student Name _____________________________________________________________________________

Courses Listed on ACT Plan Answer Folder (page 3)

Corresponding Local Course Names

Term Length:1/2 or 1 year

GradeEarned

ENGLISHEnglish taken in grade 9English taken in grade 10English taken in grade 11English taken in grade 12Other English courses

MATHEMATICSAlgebra 1GeometryAlgebra 2TrigonometryPre-CalculusOther advanced math courses

College Prep Integrated Math—grade 9College Prep Integrated Math—grade 10College Prep Integrated Math—grade 11College Prep Integrated Math—grade 12

SOCIAL STUDIESU.S. History (American History)World HistoryGovernment/CivicsWorld Cultures/Global StudiesEconomicsPsychologySociologyOther social studies courses

NATURAL SCIENCESPhysical/Earth/General ScienceBiology Year 1Biology Year 2Chemistry Year 1Chemistry Year 2PhysicsAnatomy/PhysiologyOther science courses

(Downloadable in pdf format at www.act.org/plan under Resources for Educators)

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Example Coursework Planner for Grade____Note: If courses will differ per term, be sure to indicate this on the planner.

11

English/Language Arts (for example: Writing,Literature, Journalism, Poetry)

Honors English III (Semester 1 & 2)

Journalism (Semester 2)

Mathematics (for example: General Math, Algebra I, Algebra II, Business Math, Calculus,Geometry, Statistics, Trigonometry)

Trigonometry (Semester 1)

Statistics (Semester 2)

Social Studies/Sciences (for example: History,Geography, Government, Economics, Psychology) U.S. History II (Semester 1 & 2)

Science (for example: General Science, Biology,Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics) Chemistry (Semester 1 & 2)

Health and Fitness (for example: First Aid, Health,Physical Education)

Foreign Languages (for example: French, German,Spanish) Spanish III (Semester 1 & 2)

Arts (for example: Art Appreciation, Dance,Drawing, Graphic Arts, Painting, Photography)

Music (for example: Band, Chorus, MusicAppreciation, Orchestra) Chorus (Semester 1 & 2)

Communications (for example: Drama, Speech)

Agriculture (for example: Agribusiness, AnimalScience, Landscaping, Horticulture)

Business & Computers (for example: GeneralBusiness, Bookkeeping, Computer Literacy,Computer Science, Keyboarding, Office Practices,Sales & Marketing)

Accounting I (Semester 1)

Family & Consumer Sciences (for example: GeneralFamily and Consumer Science, Child Care,Clothing, Foods, Interior Design)

Industrial Arts & Technologies (for example:Automotive Technology, Construction Technology,Cosmetology, Drafting, Electronic/MechanicalTechnology, Allied Health Technology, MetalTechnology, Wood Technology)

Core Area Courses

General Courses

Specialized Courses

Subjects Courses

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English/Language Arts (for example: Writing,Literature, Journalism, Poetry)

Mathematics (for example: General Math, Algebra I, Algebra II, Business Math, Calculus,Geometry, Statistics, Trigonometry)

Social Studies/Sciences (for example: History,Geography, Government, Economics, Psychology)

Science (for example: General Science, Biology,Chemistry, Earth Science, Physics)

Health and Fitness (for example: First Aid, Health,Physical Education)

Foreign Languages (for example: French, German,Spanish)

Arts (for example: Art Appreciation, Dance,Drawing, Graphic Arts, Painting, Photography)

Music (for example: Band, Chorus, MusicAppreciation, Orchestra)

Communications (for example: Drama, Speech)

Agriculture (for example: Agribusiness, AnimalScience, Landscaping, Horticulture)

Business & Computers (for example: GeneralBusiness, Bookkeeping, Computer Literacy,Computer Science, Keyboarding, Office Practices,Sales & Marketing)

Family & Consumer Sciences (for example: GeneralFamily and Consumer Science, Child Care,Clothing, Foods, Interior Design)

Industrial Arts & Technologies (for example:Automotive Technology, Construction Technology,Cosmetology, Drafting, Electronic/MechanicalTechnology, Allied Health Technology, MetalTechnology, Wood Technology)

Coursework Planner for Grade ___Provided to students in Using Your ACT PLAN Results.

Core Area Courses

General Courses

Specialized Courses

Subjects Courses

This may be reproduced as needed

69

Procedures Checklist

This checklist for the administration ofACT Plan is provided for yourconvenience. It does not replace theadministrative procedures in this manual.

Pre-Test ActivitiesDisplay ACT Plan poster.Read this manual carefully.Distribute copies of Why Take ACT Plan.Post sign-up sheets (if student sign-up is required).Order Pre-ID labels online at www.act.org/education/order/preid.Notify ACT if more materials are required.

Preparation for TestingOpen and check test materials upon receipt.Reserve test rooms (preferably classrooms).Develop seating arrangements.Make provisions for left-handed examinees.Store test materials securely until test day.Announce to students the day/time of testing,the location of the testing room(s), and what tobring on test day.Assemble materials to be provided by yourschool.Select and train testing staff. Provide this manualto all testing staff before the test day. ACT recommends that you hold a briefing session ifyou are using two or more testing staff. See pages 4–5.Determine the following and inform testing staff:(see pages 10–11)When will the student information sections beadministered?Which option will be used for administeringnon-test sections?Will sort codes be used?Will supplemental local items be administered?If administering ACT Plan in two sessions, col-lect the answer folders after the student informa-tion sections are completed and store themsecurely until they are redistributed on test day.Count out test materials by testing room. Ensurethat test booklets are stored securely until theyare distributed directly to room supervisors ontest day.

Test DayVerify that testing rooms are properly arranged.Distribute test materials to testing staff.Direct students to seats; do not allow them to select their seats.

AdministrationDistribute answer folders and instructions to students.Hand each examinee a test booklet.Verify that the number of test booklets distributed and the number remaining equal the number of booklets assigned to the room.Administer tests in proper sequence.Write the Start/Stop times and 5-minutes-remaining time in the manual for each test.Time each test exactly.Check calculators before testing.Monitor test room throughout the test session.Do not leave testing room unattended at anytime.Collect answer folders first, then test booklets.Review answer folders to be sure critical fields aregridded correctly.Verify counts of test materials before students aredismissed.

Wrap-Up After TestingDocument irregularities and accommodated testing administrations.Schedule and administer makeup testing as necessary.Store used test booklets so they can be returnedwith score reports to the students who used them.Destroy unused test booklets, answer folders, andInstructions for Completing Your Answer Folder (seepage 49).Complete a School Header for each scoringgroup tested; check gridding of school code andcycle code for accuracy; return with completedanswer folders.Fill in Accommodation Codes, Void ScoringCodes (VSC), and Special Status Codes sectionson the top of page 4 of the answer folder (seepages 43–44).Make a copy of any Testing Irregularity Reportsthat involve defective materials or challenged test items; return these reports with completedanswer folders.Keep file copies of all forms and reports mailedto ACT with answer folders.

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ACT Plan® Test Supervisor’s Comment Form

School Name Test Date(s)

Room Supervisor School Code

City State

If you have comments or suggestions concerning this manual, ACT’s procedures, or Customer Services, pleasewrite them below and return this form with your answer folders to your ACT Plan test supervisor. Please be as specific as possible when making suggestions for improvement. All comments are reviewed. Do not report test-ing irregularities on this form. (For Testing Irregularity Report, see page 73.)

(This form may be photocopied as needed.)

73

ACT Plan® Testing Irregularity Report

Room Supervisor Testing Room

Use this form to report any of the testing irregularities described on pages 19–21. Return this completed form toyour school’s testing supervisor. If any portion of a test should be voided due to prohibited behavior, mark theappropriate scoring code on page 4 of the student’s answer folder. See page 20 of this manual for instructions.

Name of Student Explanation of Irregularity

Complete the information below and send a copy of this report to ACT only if any of the following irregularities are reported: 1) defective materials, 2) student challenge of a test item, or 3) mistimings thatcould not be corrected.

School Name School Code

City State Test Date

75

ReferencesACT. (2009). ACT National Curriculum Survey 2009. Iowa City, IA: Author.Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and workenvironments (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.ACT. (2007). ACT Plan technical manual. Iowa City, IA: Author.ACT (2009). The ACT Interest Inventory technical manual. Available from www.act.org/research-policy/research-reports/

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